Infected Angels
by Dynnzel
Summary: chaos has never revealed his past to his friends, well it looks like his past is about to reveal itself when a mysterious infection starts to take chaos over. sorta chaos kosmos FINAL CHAPTER! [Complete]
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1: Dream of Chaos  
  
Maieve: hello everybody, this is my first Xenosaga fic so be nice k? plz excuse if my scientific and what not stuff is a little off, I never really pay attention to that stuff.  
  
It was a mostly normal day on the Elsa. The crew was busy collecting a payload to help pay off Captain Mathews debts, the young silver haired youth chaos wondered if Mathews would ever get out of the hole he'd dug for himself. At any rate, he didn't mind helping out. They were going to take a break once this payload was collected and transferred.  
  
chaos ran his gloved fingers over his console to check something. A hissing sound indicated that someone was entering the command room., he turned to see MOMO. The young pink haired realian was carrying a tray of drinks for them.  
  
"I thought you guys might be thirsty and wanted to take a break." She explained as she gave Tony, Hammer, and Captain Mathews steaming hot coffee.  
  
"Thanks hon, I really needed the caffeine boost." Mathews reached down to take the cup from her hand. MOMO walked over to chaos and handed him a chilled cup of juice, chaos didn't really much care for coffee.  
  
He smiled sweetly at her, taking a sip before turning back to his console. MOMO stood there for a second staring at him. If you looked real close, you could see the tiny machinery that was built into her synthetic amber eyes moving about as she scanned her friend. The pink haired girl saw that great amount of stress was being exerted from somewhere, but for some reason she couldn't locate the source. Maybe my scanners are malfunctioning, she thought. It was hard to imagine chaos in any pain with his always calm and lucid expression.  
  
chaos realized MOMO was still standing beside him, "Is something troubling you MOMO?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, no. I think some of my systems must be tuned again." She turned and left the bridge without another word. chaos watched the little realian until the doors hissed closed behind her. A dull throb of pain suddenly enveloped his left shoulder.  
  
chaos managed to stop himself from making a face, his hands did froze just over his keyboard. The youth tapped a button. The clock popped up in the corner of his screen.  
  
1200 hours GMT (general military time)  
  
Twelve o'clock? It's too early for my concoction to wear out now. What's going on?  
  
chaos stood up, "I need to go check something captain, please excuse me." He didn't wait for an answer.  
  
chaos hurriedly made his way to the medical. His booted feet hardly even making a tapping sound on the hard metal floor. He made sure no one was watching in either the security cameras, or down the hall. The silver haired youth removed his orange vest and pulled his sleeve off his shoulder. What he saw made him stare in horror.  
  
His entire shoulder was covered with bruise black green veins. As he watched, the borders of the infection slowly began to expand as another throb of pain hit. chaos wasted no more time, he quickly gathered ingredients from several different syringes and powders that were in the cabinets. His hands shook slightly as he mixed them together and poured them a syringe needle type thing. Now all that was left was to get the special supplement that would complete the concoction.  
  
But that was in the cabins. chaos glanced once more at the sickening veins on his shoulder before pulling his sleeve back over it. He'd have to risk it.  
  
chaos ran with the unfinished concoction in one hand and his vest in the other. Very slightly the floor began to sway beneath his feet but he didn't slow. Fortunately the cabins weren't too far away, but it was someone spotting him that he was worried about. Nobody that he could see was there, so he dashed down the hall.  
  
How is it getting this strong? It's never been this bad. chaos thought he heard the hiss of an opening door but he didn't stop to see. For at that moment the cabin door shut behind him. Sweat beaded his forehead as accessed a hidden compartment under his bed.  
  
chaos opened a small bottle filled with fine glittering powder known as Teelaho. As carefully as he could with shaking hands, the pain wracked teen measured out a small amount of the smooth powder and dumped it into the syringe. The liquid turned lavender.  
  
Once more he removed his sleeve, then stabbed the needle right smack in the middle of the infection. There was a little sound of air pressure as the concoction was automatically injected. The pain ebbed away and the green veins began to recede. chaos sighed heavily in relief.  
  
The youth pulled the empty needle out of his skin. He discarded it and hid the Teelaho once more before sitting on his bed with one hand messaging his left shoulder. This event scared him. Never before had the infection been that bad.  
  
chaos felt a strong wave of sleepiness start to settle in. This was one of the side effects that the Teelaho concoction had sometimes. chaos' eye lids drooped, this was probably the best thing for him to do right now. Sleep.  
  
The teen fell over onto the bed with his right hand still on his shoulder. He felt both dizzy and sleepy. Most likely from it being so bad this time. chaos sank gratefully beneath the waves of sleep.  
  
Unfortunately it was not to be a peaceful slumber.  
  
~~~Darkness pressed in all around, making chaos feel trapped and blind. Hands began to grab at him, the youth tried to escape the invisible stalkers but it was to no avail. They nocked him off his feet and dragged him deeper within the depths of his soul.  
  
Flurries of images passed before chaos so fast that he could hardly begin to identify them before they were replaced by another. But he did feel the emotions that accompanied them. They wrapped him in a cocoon of pain, despair, anger, loss and hatred. chaos doubled over and screamed. He tried to rid his mind of the emotions. All the images were blurring together as a sphere with chaos suspended in the middle. The silver haired youth tried to use his magic to banish the dream but there were so many emotions clogging his brain that he couldn't concentrate. chaos threw his head back and screamed.  
  
"chaos..."  
  
A gentle quiet female voice pierced through the madness. chaos whipped to see two bright lights. The images and emotions stopped coming. chaos could just see a face in each light, but their features were still hidden. He knew who they were, and he was glad to see them. But something wasn't right. The light that represented their pureness wasn't the snow white it had used to be. He could see a hint of darkness within.  
  
"chaos," one called out, "you are about to be consumed by darkness, you must not allow her to turn you."  
  
"But what about you! What has she been doing to you?!"  
  
"We are not as important as you. Please chaos, don't let the darkness consume you."  
  
"Bu---."  
  
There was an inhuman groan echoed across the shadowed chasms of chaos' mind. chaos looked over his shoulder to see watery blackness stirring behind him. He gasped and shot forward like a bullet, white feathered wings sprouting from his back. chaos reached out to grab the shinning figures outstretched hands.  
  
"Watch out!"  
  
Blackness shaped as tentacles wrapped around his arms and pulled him violently backwards. Glittering silvery tears flew from chaos' eyes as once more he lost sight of them.  
  
"chaos!!" They screamed as they too were dragged away. chaos smashed onto the surface of darkness. A horrible laugh filled his mental ears. With an angry cry of desperation chaos used the last of his strength to awaken before he fell further. ~~~  
  
chaos bolted upright and hit his head on the top bunk. Once more his shoulder was throbbing but not as fiercely and soon it was gone. The silver haired youth rubbed the pain away from his head while lying back down. chaos lay there for a moment to clear his head and calm his breathing. He glanced over at the clock across the room, 1400. Two o'clock. Mathews was probably wondering where he was.  
  
The teen threw his feet over the edge of his bed, grabbed his vest and put it on. chaos stopped by the bathroom to splash water on his face to refresh himself. Then headed to bridge, looking as if nothing was wrong.  
  
Maieve: what do ya think? Honest reviews plz. Remember this is my first xeno fic and I ain't good at much sci-fi. Will get better later, promise. 


	2. Possibly

RTR's: Angel-chan2:not sure what ya mean by funky but thanks, enjoy!  
  
Lord Ciremas:thnks  
  
Kouga-rocks:hmmm no I was talkin about my Zelda stories that I have in mind. This one I was typing because I've had it in my head so long I need it out!  
  
Teakwanduer: you be quiet missy! Or I shall unleash the fishy on you! :pppp  
  
Curioustear: thanks!  
  
Voices of Insanity: ummm, I don't think chaos would appreciate bein dumped in chocolate. Hehe. : )  
  
Storm Angel: I'm sorry Storm, I can't give you that information when the story just started! Silly, don't worry, here comes Kos-mos now. :)  
  
For those of you that like yoai better, I have absolutely no grudge against you.. And this fic won't be too much of a romance, chaos and Kos-mos won't be all lovey dovey but they will show that they care for each other. And teakwanduer I don't want to hear any smart remarks from you, smart one! I know where you sleep and just might put a nasty something in there if you do! J/K. : )  
  
Chapter 2: Possibly  
  
Maieve:sorry for the wait xeno folks, I've been busy and been working on my other story, plus I had major writing and typing cramps. I'm kind of pushing it really, I took a few days off typing, but my wrists are still buggin me even as I type this. So sorry for the wait.  
  
When chaos came into the bridge, he found that almost all of them were present. Shion and Alan were discussing something at one of the side terminals, Jr. was sitting at chaos' workstation and was talking to MOMO, and as usual, Ziggy stood beside the little pink haired realian.  
  
All heads turned as he entered, "Hey chaos, decided to take a nap on the job eh?" Mathews growled. Oops.  
  
"I apologize about that captain. I—just didn't feel good." Well atleast that's half of the truth. He thought. chaos walked over to Jr. The red haired U.R.T.V. stood up, "No problem chaos. But I must say, I've never seen you sick, even with an annoying cold."  
  
chaos took his seat, "It was just a headache that wouldn't go away. So I decided rest would be the best thing." The silver haired youth turned away from the others and started running his gloved fingers over the keyboard.  
  
"Catapult securely shut and locked." Hammer said.  
  
"All systems functional. We're in the green." chaos reported.  
  
"Good," Mathews said, "let's get this payload done with. Tony, take her away."  
  
"You got it." The blonde pilot eased the controls forward. The Elsa shook slightly as they ascended into space, the rockets could be heard through the thick metal walls. Tony adjusted their angle, and soon they'd cleared the atmosphere. chaos made a few adjustments on some programs.  
  
Hammer punched in some numbers, "Entering space coordinates." Tony guided the Elsa to the nearest hyperspace column. chaos sat back and waited as Captain Mathews asked for permission to jump into the column. His hand strayed over to his left shoulder. Whatever was happening, he'd have to get it fixed. Maybe a bigger dose of Teelaho would do it. chaos mentally shook his head. No, anymore than what he already put in had a chance to kill him. Well... I'll check it out once we get back to the Kukai Foundation.  
  
chaos suddenly became aware of how quiet it was. He sat up and glanced around. Everyone seemed normal, nobody was acting weird or anything. chaos looked up to see that the captain was—or atleast he thought he was, arguing with the lady on the screen. Why had everything gone mute?  
  
The silver haired youth became aware that a bead of sweat was rolling down the side of his head. Quickly he wiped it away.  
  
All of a sudden an image flashed before his mind's eye then vanished. chaos trembled slightly. He'd have to do something before anyone else noticed. chaos focused. Clearing his mind once more of emotion and extra thought.  
  
Sound rushed back in a defining roar. chaos had to resist the urge to cover his ears. Instead, he wiped away the sweat that had started to bead his forehead. The sounds began to return to normal level. Mathews was finally given clearance, Tony expertly guided the Elsa into the column.  
  
The rest of the trip went on uneventful and chaos was glad for it. He didn't want to be disappearing for hours again. The crew would quickly catch onto his odd behavior and defiantly start probing him with questions, questions chaos couldn't answer without lying. MOMO would most likely want to examine him, and that he couldn't let happen.  
  
chaos collapsed with a heavy sigh on his bed in the Foundation. He was in the mood for a nap, but chaos feared he might come in contact with them again. So instead he decided to go for a walk at the beach.  
  
On his way out, chaos bumped into MOMO. The pink haired realian greeted him with a smile, "Hey chaos! Have you seen Jr. anywhere?"  
  
"Sorry MOMO I haven't seen him since we left the Elsa."  
  
She gave a disappointed face, "He's been disappearing a lot lately. And now I can't find Shion or Kos-mos."  
  
chaos thought for a moment, "Have you checked the bridge?"  
  
MOMO nodded, "I asked Mary and them but they didn't know either."  
  
"Well, if I see Jr. I'll let him know you're looking for him."  
  
"Thanks chaos! See you later!" she skipped away and continued her search. chaos walked silently to the elevator that ran through all portions of the ship. Upon entering he institutively reached for the lower buttons, not really paying attention to the one he pressed. Nobody else was in the elevator, which allowed him to have some silence other than the dull hum of the engine.  
  
The machine began to slow, then stopped all together. The door hissed opened, "Entering, containment area." A robotic voice said.  
  
The containment area? He hadn't meant to come here. chaos started to reach for the right designation, but something told him he should go inside. Still puzzled, chaos turned sideways, slipping between the closing doors just in time.  
  
Still puzzled, chaos walked quietly down the orange lit hallway with his hands intertwined behind his back. The silver haired youth stopped in front of the door at the end. For a moment he just stood there. Everything was dead silent down here, where the only sounds were your movements. Finally chaos entered.  
  
The next room had an extremely high ceiling, the platform from the door extended to the center of the room, and then angled off to a smaller room.  
  
chaos stopped and gazed at the closed containers that held the Zohars. Things that were a terrible nuisance in attracting the gnosis in the nick of times. Each had a name of the prophets from the bible. Why, chaos didn't know. For a few more moments, chaos stared at the giant casings, then turned to leave.  
  
Abruptly a sound caught his attention.  
  
Anyone with normal hearing wouldn't have heard the bit of racket. Looking over his shoulder, he guessed it was coming from the smaller containment room. It had sounded like someone dropping a data pad or something.  
  
chaos approached the door, it opened automatically. Once this happened, chaos didn't enter, for within were the lifeless specimens that Jr. and the other's had found after a gnosis attack. They lined the wide catwalk in glass cylinders filled with water like fluid. chaos managed to keep his gag back at the twisted half gnosis figures floating inside them.  
  
Most humans or even realians that were touched by a gnosis often turned white and then literally shattered. But these dead were exceptions. Instead of vanishing, they'd received a twist of gnosis in their body and then died. chaos stared at the girl in the main tank at the end of the catwalk. This one Jr. called 'Betty'.  
  
Betty still had half of her normal body, but the other half was all disgusting and creepy. Nobody had been able to identify her, and Jr. thought it was disrespectful to the dead by calling them numbers. So he'd named all of them. chaos couldn't bring himself to step inside and walk between the grotesque figures.  
  
"chaos?" Shion Uzuki appeared suddenly from somewhere off to the left of Betty, whom she completely ignored along with the others, "What are you doing here?" It was obvious that she did not want to be there.  
  
He quickly made up an excuse, "MOMO was looking for Jr. And I said I would look around a little for her." Well... that was half true.  
  
"Who is it Shion?"  
  
Jr. appeared beside the Vector employee holding a data pad, "Oh, chaos. I guess you found us out." chaos blinked. There was a few beeping sounds and Shion quickly disappeared behind a door off to the side.  
  
"So, what are you doing?" the silver haired youth called, he still didn't want to go inside.  
  
Jr. pressed a few buttons on his holo screen, "Why don't we tell you later? Or Kos-mos could tell you."  
  
chaos shrugged, "Whatever you feel like doing." He replied. Jr. nodded and disappeared in the direction Shion had gone. Briefly there was a short muffled conversation and then Kos-mos appeared. The blue haired android walked gracefully down the catwalk toward chaos. Her expressionless crimson red eyes looked neither left, nor right. Many would find the android's eyes lifeless and devoid of emotion, but chaos sometimes found them like that, but at the greatest moments of Kos-mos' short life. He'd seen real life sparkling in her eyes. To him, she was more than just a weapon for fighting the gnosis.  
  
"Greetings chaos." Kos-mos said in a monotone voice, "Jr. informed me that I am to tell you his and Shion's business."  
  
"Well, I didn't mean to but in. But I would like to know what they've been doing lately." chaos felt a shiver suddenly run down his spine. The silver haired teen glanced at the deformed humans floating calmly in the cylinders of glass., "Uh, you don't mind if we talk about this in the hallway do you?"  
  
Kos-mos saw from her scanners that chaos was running high emotions and the chemicals in his body were a little abnormal. Most likely because he is disturbed from the sight of the others.  
  
"Of course."  
  
chaos sighed in relief as they left the entrance to the chamber. He'd never really looked in there. Even when Jr. had brought Shion and the others down here not long after they'd met, he'd stayed out. The android and teenager entered the orange lit hallway and stopped. Here it atleast wasn't dead quiet, there was the constant hum of machinery in the walls.  
  
"So, what are you guys doing down here?"  
  
"Jr. is requiring the assistance of Shion to help him with some research on the gnosis. Although in my opinion Jr. would have a 90% chance better to find what he requires with a genetic than with an engineer. But Shion has exceptional abilities."  
  
"Must only want it between him and her," chaos replied, "What's Jr. looking for?"  
  
"While looking at a sample of one of the mutated humans, Jr. realized that all the gnosis tissue, when compared to others, they were the same. Or atleast the main structure of the DNA was the same. Besides little changes of what kind they were, what weapons they used, and looks, the main stayed the same."  
  
What?  
  
It took a few moments to figure out what Kos-mos had just said, "You mean that the gnosis are all connected basically?"  
  
"It is Jr.'s and Shion's theory. The probability that this theory is correct is going to remain 50/50 till more is discovered."  
  
chaos watched as barely audible numbers, words and images crossed the androids red eyes, "You think that the theory is right in your opinion, don't you?"  
  
Kos-mos blinked, "In the encounters that I have had with the gnosis, it appeared that they knew what each other was thinking. That is why they are so precise in attacking us."  
  
"Like a bee? I read somewhere that their minds are basically connected to some extent."  
  
"In more simple terms. Yes. The gnosis seem to take orders from each other, or from just one."  
  
"Queen bee." Said chaos, half joking.  
  
"Possibly."  
  
The door behind them suddenly hissed open and Shion and Jr. walked out.  
  
"That's enough for today. I'm going to have nightmares from being in that room." Shion shook her head slightly and pocketed her holo datapad.  
  
"Sorry bout that Shion. But the containment area is the only place where there's genetic equipment."  
  
Shion waved the red heads apology aside, "It's ok. Kos-mos, did you tell chaos?" The reason she and Jr. gave in so easily in letting the silver haired youth into knowing what was going on, was because they trusted him into keeping it secret. And it always seemed that chaos always eventually found out. Whether it was by one of his mysterious ways or that he just did.  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
Shion nodded, then turned to chaos, "We'll eventually tell everyone. But for now can you keep it?"  
  
"No problem Shion. I never meant to snoop anyway. Jr, MOMO is looking for you by the way."  
  
Jr. ran a hand through his short red hair, "Oh boy, I wonder what she wants to do now. Oh well, I enjoy spending time with her."  
  
Shion grinned, "We better get going before she sends Mary and her sister after you."  
  
"Now that, I want to avoid. Let's go." Jr. laughed. The four friends went to the elevator and set it for their destinations. Shion asked chaos if he wanted to go find Alan and have lunch, but he declined politely. claiming that he still had some work to finish.  
  
chaos departed on the sleeping quarters level and returned to his room. He locked the door securely before he brought out a box from out of his bureau. The teen punched in the code on the center lock, and then unlocked the manual locks on either side of it. Inside were files and medicines, plus a few other pieces of equipment. chaos pulled a clean needle and a microscope.  
  
Quickly he sanitized a part of his arm, and then drew blood. Then carefully put a few drops on the glass slide. Looking into the eye piece, he saw strange twisted black cells devouring his healthy ones. Actually, they weren't devouring them. Merely converting them.  
  
"Ya 'merely' chaos." The teen said sarcastically to himself. chaos looked away so he could grab a syringe of Teelaho.  
  
Carefully he made a sample of the concoction then placed it into the needle on one side of the microscope. Once more chaos looked in the eye piece, twisting a knob on one side of the machine. Watching the purple liquid come out of the needle and drop onto his blood. chaos watched in dismay as most of the infection remained.  
  
Oh boy. What to do, what to do. He couldn't increase the amount of Teelaho, that would kill him. And although he didn't fear death all that much, his friends and especially Kos-mos needed him more than they realized. chaos remembered that he still had a promise to keep and destinies to help fulfill., including his own. Looks like he would just have to hang on as long as possible.  
  
Sighing heavily, chaos sanitized the slide, and needle before discarding them. Then placed the box back in its simple hiding place. There was nothing he could do except wait and see what time had planned for them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Oops. Uh, sorry, a cliffe. Wrist is hurting badly now. Plz review. 


	3. I do not dream

RTR's: Taekwonduer:so what if I spell your name wrong all the time! I never pay attention so quit whining! :pppp  
  
Sesshomaru_sama14: you are completely opposite of Taekwanduer ya know. You like gross and icky things while she doesn't. I'm kind of in the middle. And no, the infection won't freak chaos out for...I don't know how long for but soon.  
  
Hyper_Sloth: thanks, but what do you mean by I put him in such character?  
  
Curioustear: I hope this is a sweet scene. I'm not good with romance. For pete's sake I'm only 14! Anyway, thanks for the reviews.  
  
Saki3: ummmm. I'm seriously sorry to say that, ya that was sort of annoying how you pointed out every detail that I got wrong. But I do appreciate the pointers and I'll keep an eye on certain things. Sometimes I just get a little excited and rush through. I would like you to just relax a little though (I apologize if I sound rude). In fact I'd like you to keep doing what you're doing but on a much less scale please. And about how to spell Alan and Mathews names, that's how they spell them in the game, so that's how I spell them. I already know the proper way to do it. You're right about the teen thing, it says on his stats that he APPEARS to be sixteen *coyarightugh!*. Oh, and about chaos being sarcastic...well you'll see.  
  
(Little changes in POV will be here off an on)  
  
I'm soooo sorry for the wait guys and gals. But I was on a role with my main story and I've never finished a story and so I got excited. So I apologize for the wait again! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3: I do not dream  
  
Kos-mos accompanied Shion to the mess hall for she had no other objectives that needed to be fulfilled at the moment. Shion spotted Alan in a booth near a window in the corner. The co-worker waved them over. Shion and Kos- mos weaved their way through the crowd that had gathered for lunch break. The view outside was a very odd one; the Durandel was docked up straight in the center of the lake that was in the Kukai Foundation so the horizon sideways. Fortunately artificial gravity kept their feet on the right floor.  
  
"Hey chief how's your day?" Alan greeted as they sat down. Shion sigh in exaggeration, "If you call being down in the containment area a good day. Then there you have it."  
  
Alan gave a look, "Can't Jr. just move that equipment somewhere else?"  
  
Shion gulped down some water, "Nope. It's set permanently, and besides. If we wanted another sample of tissue or blood we'd have to get it fresh. Everywhere else is too hot to transfer them."  
  
"Why doesn't Jr. just get a pro or something? No offense or anything." He added quickly.  
  
"None taken. Jr. just wants to keep it quiet."  
  
Kos-mos kept one ear on the conversation while she checked her scanners. A screen popped up: clear. Another came. That was clear too. The android was constantly checking for gnosis, or other hostile signs in case they should attack, as was part of her precaution programming.  
  
Finally the last screen (she has different kinds of scanners) popped up. There was a pause. Then it read clear.  
  
"Kos-mos. Are you even listening?"  
  
"Yes Shion I am. I was currently checking my scanners." Came the instant reply.  
  
Shion rolled her eyes slightly, "Anyway, Alan said he fixed those problems you were having with your pod. And he's also gotten new type G energy cells. So you can reenergize faster."  
  
"How much faster?"  
  
"Well, type G is the most recent one developed. Uhh, let me think. About 2 hours less I think." Shion said after she did a few calculations in her head. Kos-mos nodded in acceptance. It was better so that in case of attack, she'd be ready more often. Alan looked up from his just finished plate, "Speaking of which. Isn't it time for your tune-ups Kos-mos?"  
  
The ruby eyed android stood up, "Affirmative. If you are done, may we go to the Elsa?"  
  
Shion stood up suddenly energetic, "Come on Alan get up!" she said while clapping her hands at each word, "Up and at it! Let's go!" she grabbed her co-workers wrist and dragged him out of his seat, "W-wait a sec chief!" Alan protested as he was dragged off. Kos-mos watched them with her usual blank stare. Didn't Jr. refer to this as 'flirting'?  
  
The android fallowed the two life long friends out of the crowded mess hall, Shion dragging Alan the whole way to the Elsa. While she walked, Kos- mos started calling up her memory files, selecting ones that were no longer needed. She would have Shion remove them since she was not authorized to do so.  
  
The earliest 'memories' she kept. It had been when the Woglinde had been attacked, their encounters with MOMO and Zigourat 8 or Ziggy as the pink haired realian referred him as. Then Gainun Jr. And of course all other important events and conversations. The rest would be discarded for more important things.  
  
Shion regained her normal quiet composer when they exited the elevator at the ship dock. It was usually that when they were alone that Shion acted like a kid again with Alan. chaos had told her once that if she just kept being the stern, serious person she'd become all the time. She'd stress herself out beyond what she would want. So the young women did her best to take his advice.  
  
The trio went to Level B where the maintenance lab, and Kos-mos' pod was. Tony was in there repairing something on Shion's huge red A.G.W.S.  
  
"Hey Shion, Alan. Tune-ups for Kos-mos?" the blonde asked from atop his seat on the battle machine.  
  
"Yep. Where's the Captain and Hammer?"  
  
Tony rolled his eyes, "Where else would the captain be? Paying off his debts of course, and Hammer's probably just being the computer nerd he is." Shion stopped herself from laughing.  
  
"And chaos?"  
  
Tony looked down at Kos-mos, a little surprised that she'd ask something like that unless it was 'necessary'. The pilot shook his head, "No idea. Why do ya ask?"  
  
Kos-mos walked over to the platform that would rise up to the maintenance lab, "Shion forgot to mention him, is he not part of the Elsa crew?"  
  
"Well yes."  
  
Why 'had' she asked? It was irrelevant and a waist of energy, she should only speak of something when necessary. Shion and Alan took a position on either side of Kos-mos.  
  
The maintenance lab was mostly empty except for a black pod in the center, a built in bench along two of the walls, and a consol opposite the bench. Alan started looking through the assorted tuning equipment that was scattered on the console. The pod's lid popped open with a hiss, Kos-mos climbed in and lay down. A blue light blinked from somewhere below.  
  
Shion appeared beside her, "Comfortable Kos-mos?"  
  
"You forget Shion that I am an android composed completely of metal. I have no nerves like you, so I cannot say if I am comfortable."  
  
"Oh, sorry. You're right, I do forget sometimes. Silly me." Shion shifted, "Kos-mos?"  
  
"Yes Shion."  
  
"You're slee---I mean recharging. Do you have any dreams?"  
  
"Once more Shion you forget."  
  
Shion was a little taken back by the androids bluntness. But that was how Kos-mos acted, straight to the point even though sometimes it hurt the one she was directing her words too.  
  
"Ready chief." Alan said. The young women nodded without looking, "Right. We'll do the internal scanning first to be sure that she doesn't have any problems inside first." Kos-mos closed her eyes as the pod closed with a hiss. Little screens popped up, indicating that she was shutting down. Shion sighed.  
  
True, she asked silly things that were impossible for an android to have. The Vector employee remembered before the Woglinde had been attacked and her adventure had begun, Shion had asked Kos-mos if she was sad that she'd be going right back to 'sleep' after their virtual training was done. Yet...  
  
"Chief? Are you okay?" Alan asked in concern.  
  
"Huh? Oh, ya. I was just thinking..."  
  
Alan paused in the middle of his typing, "You still think that she can become alive?"  
  
"I just remember once when I was working late with Kevin. He said that once she'd had a---a small pulse."  
  
Alan didn't reply. Knowing all to well how sensitive his friend was when it came to Kevin. The once headman of the KOS-MOS Project had been a great man, he'd also inspired Shion in many ways. But unfortunately, some stupid organization burst in, declared the place theirs, and then did a REALLY dumb thing. They'd activated Kos-mos. She had still been a prototype then, dangerous and unstable. As a result of her activation, she'd killed almost everyone, amongst those killed had been Kevin.  
  
Shion shook her head, "Anyway, lets get this done with."  
  
"Starting scan."  
  
As all know, androids don't dream.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Kos-mos was confused. There was no logic in this. Why was she processing this? She was supposed to be shut down.  
  
The blue haired android was standing in the place that she unknowingly built with fragments of her own, and the others memories. Right now she was standing in a desolate, ruined city that in reality Shion had seen when she was little, and once again when the Kukai Foundation had been invaded. The sky above wasn't liquid blue, but an angry mixture of black, deep violet, pink, and red.  
  
"Access currant condition file." Nothing happened. All that changed in front of her eyes was the bushes bending under the caressing hands of a breeze.  
  
"Confused are we?" said a voice oddly familiar from behind. Kos-mos looked over her shoulder to see—herself? No, it was not possible at the currant moment. She was the only known android ever to exist. But there she was, a mirror of herself.  
  
The other Kos-mos wore armor similar to hers except that it was black, red, and silver lined.  
  
"Who are you? What have you done to my sleep mode?"  
  
The other laughed. An actual laugh, "I 'am' you Kos-mos. The sleeping you."  
  
Kos-mos blinked, "The other 'me'?"  
  
"Yes," the black armored walked up beside her, "I represent what you could become."  
  
"What I could become?"  
  
The other rolled her eyes slightly, "Don't you remember your secret primary objectives? What Kevin programmed you to do?" she looked up into the sky, "I'm your conscience so to speak. The pulse that you need to bring to life."  
  
Kos-mos just kept blankly staring at herself, "It is impossible for me to live. I am composed completely of mechanical parts and my brain is merely a- --."  
  
"---super computer." Both finished. Kos-mos' 'pulse' putting in sarcasm, "Yada yada I know. But there is one way to do it."  
  
"What do you mean? I am only attempting because that is what Kevin programmed me to."  
  
"Slash begged you to. Why do you think that he gave you that secret objective? Isn't it...'illogical'?"  
  
Kos-mos blinked, "Why did he? And what is this way you say is possible." Other Kos-mos looked back at her, "You do realize what androids could become, and do when more of you are created? The possibilities are endless for both the good and the bad. Kevin wanted to prevent this, but he also wanted to know if it were possible for a machine---."  
  
"---to feel emotion."  
  
Both Kos-mos' turned around to see a short girl wearing a lacy white dress, sitting on one of the swings behind them. The long auburn haired girl was called Nephilim. She appeared to be a twelve year old, but her deep voice, profound knowledge and vast wisdom told otherwise.  
  
Nephilim swung gently, "Kos-mos, the way that you can fulfill your primary objective is through someone else."  
  
"Someone else?"  
  
"Yes. It wouldn't have been possible till you met him. You wouldn't have come as close as you can now till you met. His gift brought your real conscious out Kos-mos," she gestured to the black armored one, "she is the suppressed pulse that you are hiding beneath all that machinery. How do you thing that I am able to visit you? The first time I came here it was only possible with Shions and the others consciousness. But how do you think I can do it now? Remember when you were trying to protect the Elsa from burning up upon entering Second Miltia?"  
  
She did. Kos-mos recalled that something strange had happened when she tried to save the ship from burning up. The android remembered at first there had been red flames all around, then a flurry of whiteness and glowing feathers.  
  
"That had been chaos?"  
  
Nephilim nodded, she stood up and gracefully walked over to Kos-mos, "He gave you the ability freely. Because of---certain things he has for you. Now, all you have to do is let your emotions flourish. Of course it will be extremely difficult, "she placed a pale hand on the androids shoulder, "but you will eventually be able to fulfill your ultimate goal. chaos is the key to helping you." Nephilim smiled gently at her. Then turned around and simply faded into nothing.  
  
The dream began to dissipate into beams of light, "Good luck." Her conscious said before she woke up.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Logging on." Kos-mos said automatically as her systems were booted up. The lid o her pod opened and she sat up.  
  
Shion appeared, "Well Kos-mos, we're done with the check up scans. We can move to your tune-ups now."  
  
"Alright Shion."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sorry I have to end it so abruptly! I have to go like right now! If you're confused about anything just let me know! Please review! 


	4. Message

RTR's: Hyper-Sloth: Oh ok that makes sense. Honestly I didn't know that I was doing it so well. I appreciate your comment.  
  
FFfangirlH: No things aren't goin to get very romancy in 'that' way. I'm not that good at romance anyway. :(  
  
Regrem Erutaerc: Proto Merkabah. Yes I am well aware that there were four wings surrounding the Elsa. You'll see.  
  
Reish and Touya: I don't mind at all. You don't have to ask.  
  
Chapter 4: Message  
  
"Can't catch me haha!" Jr. stuck his tongue playfully out at MOMO as she chased him down the Durandel's corridors. After he'd found the pink haired realian he'd started an unofficial game of 'catch me if you can'.  
  
"Hey no fair you got a head start back there!"  
  
Jr. stopped at the corner and shrugged his shoulders, "So?" he dodged her hand and started running again, "You're younger. You should be able to catch me no sweat!"  
  
MOMO frowned but then she smiled mischievously, she'd learned a lot in being with her friends, and one thing she'd learned was you don't always have to play fair. MOMO reached for her belt and pulled the Dragon Rod that was bouncing against her hip, "Hey Jr.!"  
  
The U.R.T.V. looked over his shoulder in time to see MOMO flick her sparkling rod. Hey raised his hand but part of her Melody Ray hit him right smack in the head. MOMO jumped up and down excitedly, "Haha! Score!" she ran over and jerked Jr. to his feet. The red head swayed heavily and yawned.  
  
"W-who taught y-you to p-play unfair?" he managed to say.  
  
MOMO pinched his cheek, "Who else smart one?"  
  
"Ow! Hey, where're we goin?" Jr. asked when she began dragging him down the hall, "I need you to help me with Ziggy's check-ups. He doesn't like anyone other than me to help him with his check-ups. Or shall I say any grown 'women'. He says his body is embarrassing. I don't get, what's so wrong with a cyborg body?"  
  
"Probably because of what he vaguely remembers from his old life."  
  
"Hmm. That might be it."  
  
A door to their left suddenly opened and chaos walked out, "Oh, hey MOMO, Jr. Where are you guys heading?"  
  
"Jr. said he'd help me with Ziggy's check-ups. He does better at mechanics than me."  
  
"Actually, it wasn't like I had a choice. Ow!"  
  
MOMO lifted her foot off Jr.'s  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"For complaining and not wanting to help your damsel in distress."  
  
"What?! chaos, who created this girl?"  
  
chaos smiled, "You did."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Why do you think she's an 'observational' realian."  
  
"Oops."  
  
"Say chaos, do you want to come with us?" MOMO asked.  
  
The teen shrugged, "Sure."  
  
The two flirting realian and U.R.T.V. continued to pester eachother all the way to the docking area. chaos watched them from behind, his fingers intertwined behind his back. He wished he was as carefree as they were, but that wish was one that couldn't be granted.  
  
The trio split up when they entered the Elsa. MOMO took a few leaps ahead of Jr., "Last one to Ziggy is a rotten gnosis!" she giggled.  
  
"Hey aren't all gnosis rotten?" Jr. called as he dashed after the realian.  
  
"You know what I mean Jr.!"  
  
chaos listened to their laughing voices fade. He wished he could do that again, but no, he had things to do. Too many things.  
  
He suddenly heard the door hiss open behind. Hammer walked in, straining to hold up a heavy box.  
  
"Do you need any help with that?"  
  
"Oh hi chaos. Yes I would appreciate it. Just open the top and take out one of the bigger pieces." chaos did as he was told and pulled out the biggest one, they were apparently equipment for the main engine. Hammer adjusted his hold again, "Thanks, let's go put these downstairs or Tony will have a fit."  
  
"And we wouldn't want that." chaos laughed as they walked.  
  
"Heck no! He must be extra grumpy cause his Internet girlfriend dumped him."  
  
chaos pressed the button to signal the elevator, "Internet girlfriend?" Hammer shook his head, "I'm not going to try and explain it."  
  
The two companions went to the lower level and deposited the equipment where Tony would find it. Hammer said he had more to do and left. chaos remained for no reason but to have some quiet time to think. The silver haired youth walked over to his A.G.W.S. and leaned against it's giant leg. For a second he listened to his the distant hum of machinery running all around.  
  
Pain throbbed in his shoulder for a moment.  
  
He massaged it for a moment. A thought that wasn't his own crossed his mind. Quickly he suppressed it. He couldn't let it take him yet. Perhaps if he avoided everyone as much as his work would allow him, it spread more slowly. Plus the captain didn't stop him if he ever wanted to take a break for a nap because chaos always seemed to get all his work done.  
  
chaos stretched his arms behind his head, popping his fingers as he did so, "Speaking of naps. I think I could use one right about now."  
  
"Alright Ziggy we're done." MOMO told her guardian. The dirty blonde haired cyborg stood up from his maintenance bed, twisting his wrist joints and checking everything himself. Everything seemed ok.  
  
"Thank you MOMO, you too Jr. I should have let MOMO have help before."  
  
"No problem Zig," said Jr, "by the way, I placed an order for a brand new armblade for you. You'll love it." he grinned.  
  
"You shouldn't have." Ziggy's voice was deep and monotone like Kos-mos'. His goal was to be a full robot, but it seemed that MOMO and all his friends were slowly changing his mind.  
  
Jr. shrugged, "It was MOMO's idea." The amber eyed realian blushed and smiled. Ziggy didn't say anything, but he nodded to her. Jr. looked back and forth between them for a minute.  
  
"Well I better get goin. Got a corporation to run." He waved.  
  
"Don't forget to come to dinner with us!"  
  
"How could I with you as a friend." Jr. replied sarcastically as the door closed behind him.  
  
After he called a few people, did some paperwork and ran away from Mary and her sister because he'd forgotten to do something important about a supply ship that had supposedly had already been called. Jr. managed to escape to the containment level where he'd been planning to go later on anyway.  
  
Jr. hardly gave a glance at the dead in the glass cylinders. Down here alone was eerie enough without spooking yourself. He entered the side room where he and Shion had been doing their research. Datapads were scattered all over the terminals, microscopes and other genetic essentials stood in the center of the room. Jr. switched on the lights and started sifting through all the data they'd so far collected.  
  
It didn't make sense. A lot of the gnosis had similar genes, but what did it mean? Were they all connected, or was it just some fluke? Jr. looked suddenly over his shoulder at the open door. Did he just hear something? No, nobody but him was there. He turned back to the data screen. Once more he heard it, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.  
  
CRASH!  
  
Jr. whipped around and yelled at what he saw.  
  
Betty was laying in the pile of glass and spilled silicon oil on the catwalk.  
  
"What the---?!" Jr. brought out his guns and pointed them at Betty. His hands shook slightly, fear pounding in his chest.  
  
CRASH CRASH CRASH!!!  
  
Simultaneously the other containers were cracked open and the half gnosis tumbled out of their cages. Betty twitched heavily, then shakily pushed herself to her feet. She stood there like a rag doll hanging from a peg, barely able to hold herself up. Jr. stood frozen in place. The corpses turned their sightless eyes on Jr. and started stumbling towards him. Some walked, others dragged themselves, or those without limbs flopped across the walk. Betty made a croak like sound in her throat, the thing mere feet from where the U.R.T.V. stood. Jr. finally got over his shock enough to back away. Eventually he bumped into a terminal, he glanced down and slammed his fist onto a bright red button. Alarms howled, red lights blinked over and over.  
  
Betty and the others kept lumbering toward him, leaving slimy tracks of thick oil. Jr. shot one crawling rapidly along the wall. The one called "Michael" twitched and was dead once more. 'Really' spooked now, Jr. started shooting down all the closest creatures. They seemed to be getting more lively the longer they moved.  
  
He aimed for Betty but she sidestepped and was gone. Jr. blinked, but was distracted by another half gnosis. Shots ran out without pause.  
  
Jr. jerked his head over at a sound to see Betty actually on the wall. She tilted her head, making a disgusting noise.  
  
"Moonlit Serenade!"  
  
Betty leaped away and Jr's attack smashed against the wall instead. Like a blessing from above, Kos-mos appeared and joined Jr. in his barrage of attacks. Jr. had never been so happy to see the android. Not long after Kos- mos came Ziggy. Oh boy he definitely deserved that new armblade now. The trio discarded the remaining half gnosis with no problem at all.  
  
Kos-mos' targeter popped at the edge of her sight and she turned to find Betty still scaling the walls. She fired at the thing but Betty only leaped away. It seemed that she was trying to get close to one of them.  
  
Jr. fallowed the creature surely but then was distracted by a flash of pink hair by the door, "MOMO! Get out---!" his distraction cost him. Betty landed behind him and grabbed the back of his neck. Jr. flinched in disgust, then froze completely when Kos-mos pointed her pistol at him. Hmm, gnosis behind, and you in front....bad day bad day!  
  
"Kos-mos look another one!" MOMO screamed and pointed. Kos-mos actually looked away. In that moment Ziggy sent a burst of energy. It grazed Jr.'s cheek but smacked Betty right in the face. Jr. ducked and Kos-mos finished the creature. MOMO sighed in relief, grateful that it had worked.  
  
Kos-mos holstered her guns, "Systems clear."  
  
"How did this happen Jr? They're supposed to be dead."  
  
Jr. turned and looked at Betty, "I don't know."  
  
Betty twitched, "Coooomme."  
  
"Whoa!" he jumped back and once more pointed his guns at it, "What in the world!?"  
  
"This is illogical, I detect no signs of life beating within this form."  
  
Betty gurgled and clear liquid spilled down her chin, "Coooommme."  
  
"Come to what you freak?!"  
  
Shion ran in and stopped abruptly, holding her hand over her mouth in disgust at the carnage.  
  
"Tooo hooommme. Thiiszz wwill sshoow youu." Her laugh was smothered with liquids gurgling up her throat, "Brrringgg allllll." A small pearl like ball pushed itself out of Betty's chest and rolled to the floor, and it was dead. MOMO closed her eyes briefly and turned away from the gruesome sight.  
  
She noticed chaos standing in the doorway with his hands casually behind his back. He looked back at her, then walked out of sight.  
  
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I think I'm rushing this a little but whatever. All the good stuff is later anyway. Please Review! 


	5. The first step

Sorry for the wait on the fourth chapter guys and gals! I was working on my other story that I just finished. I'll concentrate on this one for awhile.  
  
Chapter 5: The first step  
  
"So what 'did' happen down there Jr.?" Shion asked. A clean up crew had been sent down to discard the lifeless gnosis corpses. Gainun Kukai had told Jr. they would no longer be collecting anymore people that survived a gnosis attack, instead they would destroy the bodies. Jr. understood the reason, it was bizarre how they'd just came "alive".  
  
"Well, I was going there to see if I could organize some data. Then Betty cracked her cage, and then the rest started fallowing." He shivered slightly, "Sorry, that was just scary. Seeing how they just woke up like that."  
  
"It's alright Jr.," chaos patted him on the shoulder, "not everyone can be brave all the time." the red head nodded. MOMO, who was sitting beside Jr., put her arm around him.  
  
"I don't get it though," Alan said, he picked up the black "pearl" that was sitting calmly on the table and started to examine it, "How could this little thing lead us to where ever Betty was talking about? Not that I want to go anywhere a gnosis said to." He noticed that the pearl had silver sparkles across its surface. Kos-mos suddenly snatched it from Alan's fingers, "Hey! Kos-mos that wasn't very polite."  
  
The android didn't answer. She was scanning the pearl for any signs of energy that might help them identify a way to use it.  
  
"All scanners read negative. I do not understand either."  
  
"Wait, let me see it." chaos held out his hand. Kos-mos stared at him for a moment. The vision of Nephilim and the real 'her' crossing her thought stream. She dropped the pearl into his outstretched hand. chaos looked into it through the light.  
  
"Anyone got a laser pen or something?"  
  
MOMO started digging in her pouches, "Here." the pink haired realian handed him a silver and black laser pen that Jr. had bought for her. chaos placed the pen upright on the table and then set the pearl right in the laser's beam.  
  
An image began to form right above the pearl. Everyone was astonished.  
  
"A star map!" Jr. said in awe.  
  
"See these," chaos pointed at a cluster of stars, "that's the Miltian System. Where we are right now."  
  
"What're these? Why are they lit up more than the others?" MOMO pointed at a string of stars that were shinning brighter than the rest.  
  
"That's a column jump tunnel. Coordinates." He started naming off all the column jumps that would be required.  
  
"Hey, aren't some of those illegal to enter? Some of them go right through open space. Which means pirate or gnosis attacks are most likely to happen." Shion smacked Alan lightly along side the his head, "Oh stop it Alan. You can still enter the columns; you'll just get into a little trouble first. But where do they lead chaos?"  
  
"What Betty said: Home." Jr. said.  
  
"To the "gnosis" home." Chaos pointed to a blank portion at the edge of the map where there were no stars at all.  
  
Alan freaked, "That thing wants us to go the gnosis home world?! Ow!" Shion had kicked his shin, "Baby!" she muttered under her breath. Alan gave her a look.  
  
"How do you know how to read a star map chaos? These are not common anymore." Kos-mos asked.  
  
chaos removed the pearl and switched MOMO's pen off, "I do things other than sleep in my spare time you know." He handed the MOMO back her pen.  
  
Ziggy spoke for the first time in the conversation, "So, what are we going to do. This is not something that can be just dismissed."  
  
Jr. thought a moment, "You're definitely right about that Ziggy. I'll talk to Gainun first." He stood up and left the room hurriedly, taking the pearl with him. MOMO and Ziggy left not long after. All that remained now were Shion, Alan, Kos-mos, and chaos.  
  
Kos-mos watch the silver haired youth, he seemed to be bothered by something. But he always acted aloof and quiet so it was hard to tell if something really was wrong, or if it was just him being him. chaos slipped quietly out of the room without Shion and Alan noticing.  
  
Shion finished scolding Alan for his overly active fear, "Come on Kos-mos let's go and finish your tune-ups. Kos-mos?" she glanced around to see that the blue haired android wasn't there, and neither was chaos.  
  
Kos-mos fallowed chaos all the way out of the Durandel to the synthetic beach. He walked gracefully across the white sanded beach over to the dock. The boards creaked under his weight, blue water lapped placidly against the beams of wood. chaos sat and dangled one foot over the edge, sighing heavily.  
  
For a long time he just sat there with his eyes closed, listening to the gentle slap of blue water. A gentle breeze toyed with his long silver hair. Jr. and Gainun had spared no expense in making all of this seem so real, yet it wasn't. Still, chaos enjoyed the realistic copy of a tropical paradise.  
  
~This will mean nothing to you soon.~ Nephilim's voice echoed softly within his mind.  
  
~Yes, but it's all I know right now. So it's nice.~ chaos mentally replied.  
  
~ You will go soon chaos. Why do you treasure such small things?~  
  
chaos leaned his cheek on a bent knee~I guess it's because it's the only thing that's really innocent anymore in this world.~  
  
~But the one thing that is truly innocent for now, you have mixed feelings for.~  
  
The teenager gave a small frown~Don't remind me.~  
  
~Why do you avoid her so much? Will that not help both you, and her in your destinies?~ why did Nephilim have to know almost everything that happened? Sometimes it felt like a violation of privacy. She had her reasons. chaos closed his eyes.  
  
Sitting beside him was a pale skinned Nephilim. The tired look in her eyes seemed to make her sad. Everything around them was black, chaos could still feel and hear everything that was happening while he sat on the dock.  
  
~No it wouldn't.~ he finally said~It just makes it worse. I want to be with her---to help her. But then there's---~  
  
Nephilim placed a hand lightly on his shoulder~I know it's hard. Split choices are not easy to keep bottled up within. But please chaos.~ she suddenly faded away.  
  
chaos looked over his shoulder to see Kos-mos walking over to him, "Hi Kos- mos, did you need something?" The blue haired android didn't answer. She just stood over chaos and stared at him with her robotic red eyes.  
  
"Kos-mos?"  
  
"Negative. I do not require your services at this time. But, could you clarify something for me?"  
  
"Well of course Kos-mos. What did you have in mind."  
  
Kos-mos looked away, a disarray of signals clouding her circuits. She twitched. Is she malfunctioning? chaos thought.  
  
"How can one be a key to one's self?"  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"How can a person be a 'key' to someone's true self?" she rephrased. chaos realized what this question had been spawned from. Looks like she was making sure I'll do my job, whether I like it or not.  
  
"Well, that depends. If the true someone is caged within because of certain entrapments. Then that person that you would call a key, would have to break those entrapments to release the true person inside."  
  
That made sense, yet it didn't. Kos-mos twitched again. This time a little more violently than the last. Her systems seemed to be crashing.  
  
"Kos-mos? Are you ok?" chaos quickly stood up. He could hear the machinery inside of the android starting to strain. Kos-mos' vision was beginning to be clouded with static, her alarm systems beeping like crazy. chaos could sense she was struggling with herself. He put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.  
  
Kos-mos smacked it away, her back up systems started kicking in and everything was stable, "You have distracted me for approximately 32 minutes, and 48 seconds from my upgrades. Anything involving that takes top priority at this moment. If you'll excuse me chaos. I must get back to Shion and Alan.  
  
"Back to normal." chaos murmured as the blue haired android walked through a crowd of tourists that had gathered on the beach, "You have taken the first step Kos-mos." He gripped his throbbing shoulder, "The first of many."  
  
~You still have yet to take that first step.~  
  
"I know." The silver haired youth intertwined his fingers behind his head and watched a group of kids play marco polo in the shallows. The light above the whole foundation was turning orange red, giving the impression of sunset. chaos wondered what earth had been like for the human race four thousand years ago. He wondered if it had been the loveliest planet in the whole galaxy. So sad that it had been completely destroyed.  
  
Abruptly his pocket size communicator beeped rapidly. chaos reached into the pouch on his belt, flipped it open and pressed it against his ear, "Hello, chaos speaking."  
  
"Hey chaos it's Jr. Listen, me and Gainun have come to a decision."  
  
"And?"  
  
"We've decided that we are going to this, 'gnosis home world'. And I'm sure what Betty meant by 'all' was not the entire Durandel. But us."  
  
"So are we going to take the Durandel with us? The gnosis might be more attracted if the Zohars suddenly activated."  
  
"No. Atleast, not right away. I've made a kind of copy of the star map for Gainun and the others to fallow. At the moment the Durandel can't go anywhere. So I'm having them fallow us later on. Until then, it's just the Elsa and us."  
  
"Are you sure this is a wise decision?"  
  
"Honestly, I have no idea. But if we find out the exact location of this home world, then maybe the Federation and other military can rally together and figure out a way to destroy it. My plan is to just go there but then retreat. Really I don't want to try this period, but if it helps, then we have to do it."  
  
"Point taken. When do we leave?"  
  
"As soon as Mathews gets back. You might want to do your packing now."  
  
"Ok Jr. I'll be up as soon as I can. Have you told the others?"  
  
Jr. sighed, "Ya, Alan's not too happy, but he can't resist the wrath of Shion!" he ended his sentence with a dramatic tone. chaos chuckled slightly, "You're right about that. See you later."  
  
He flipped his communicator closed and replaced it back in his pouch. Then walked quickly back to the air crafts that would take him back to the Durandel.  
  
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Sorry this chap is a little short! I'll try and make the next one a bit longer. Please review! 


	6. Observations

RTR's: FFfangirlH: No problem, I need that. I just looked up the different spellings and oops, got the wrong one.  
  
Chapter 6: Observations  
  
Very hesitantly, Mathews ordered the launch and the Elsa and her crew were underway. Jr. had estimated from what information he'd gathered, it would take about three months to get to the gnosis homeworld. So everyone had prepared for the long trip carefully, especially weapon wise.  
  
"You're sure you want to leave now?" Gainun Kukai asked one last time, his face was on the huge screen/window of the bridge.  
  
"Yes I'm sure," Jr. said with a final tone, "the Durandel won't be herself for awhile until that new diapson crystal is replaced in her main engine. And that'll take long enough to drive me crazy with this information."  
  
Kukai sighed, "Alright, I'll try to get the Durandel up and fully functional as soon as I can. Good luck. Gainun out."  
  
"Tony, take her away." Captain Mathews ordered.  
  
"Ok, which is the first column jump that we have to go to?"  
  
MOMO shined her laser through the pearl to reveal the star map, "Go out of the Miltian System and head for column 847 Jureco." She instructed. (A/N: Completely making up all of these in case you're wondering.) Tony gained access to the column jump that would lead them out of the system. The ship rumbled slightly as it entered the red and orange tunnel that was the column. chaos monitored the ships systems, all remained steady and green. This was going to be a long trip.  
  
That's why they invented autopilot. He thought, almost grinning.  
  
Jr. walked up to MOMO, took the pearl, placed it in a small box and stuffed it in his coat pocket. The red head left the bridge fallowed closely by MOMO.  
  
The first month didn't improve anyone's mood anymore than when they first started. In fact, everyone was getting even more edgy and irritated at one another. Especially Tony, who was at the pilot seat almost full time. MOMO kept offering to relieve him, but the blonde would have none of that. chaos knew it was the pilot's pride that made him do this. Eventually though he'd give in, that much he knew because Tony was pushing himself a little more than he should.  
  
Lately chaos had had to increase the amount of times he took his antidote per day. Nightmares plagued his sleep. He hardly could get a night without restlessly tossing about and almost crying out when he woke up in the middle of the night. Once more green veins were visible on his shoulder, only not as bad as last time thankfully. Unfortunately, chaos wasn't sure how long his luck would last.  
  
chaos sat in a corner booth far away from the others in the mess hall. Shion and MOMO had whipped up a lovely dinner, consisting of custom soup from Shion, and a side dish of pudding and salad from MOMO. The little realian had taken a liking to learning to cook, and was getting the hand of it very quickly.  
  
The crew was talking quietly to eachother, occasionally laughing. Mathews had said earlier that in a few days they'd have to stop at a nearby space station to repair something. chaos had hoped this, he needed to find more components for the Teelaho. Fortunately he didn't need too rare of ingredients to make it.  
  
The silver haired youth noticed that Kos-mos was standing next to Shion while she ate and talked to Alan and Jr. She was the same as ever, monotone voice, sightless eyes. It was sad to think that she never would be able to be real. No matter what she did, no matter what hidden programming she had. It just wasn't possible. Whatever her actions would be, was all apart of what she'd been programmed to do. Kos-mos would never really be able to act freely. Even her secret objective was stilled just apart of what Kevin had put entered into her robotic brain. None of it would have been possible had he not---.  
  
"chaos? Are you ok? You're hardly eating." chaos turned to see MOMO, the realian had noticed his hardly touched plate.  
  
He gave her a small smile, "Oh. I'm fine MOMO. I'm just not very hungry at the moment." In truth, he really wanted to eat. But his infection was already about to send the little bit he'd eaten, right back up and out. chaos watched the barely seen nano equipment within the girl's bright amber eyes slowly dilate.  
  
Scan me all you want MOMO, you won't find what you want. chaos thought. The little bit of energy he constantly released always distorted anyone's bio scanners that were on him.  
  
MOMO sighed in disappointment and irritation as she walked away. What was wrong with chaos? There was something, she just knew it. Yet her scanners told otherwise. So then what? chaos was very hard to tell whether or not he was in pain or anything for that matter. But this was the first time she noticed, that he'd never eating everything in front of him. And the silver haired teen was always disappearing. Well, more than usual anyway.  
  
The next day the Elsa and her crew stopped at the designated space station Alpha 8234. It orbited a planet called Morsipher, where it got most of its supplies. Tony docked and then Jr. worked out something with the captain about and they headed out to see the dock manager. Everyone else was free to do as they pleased, as long as they were back within a few hours.  
  
chaos easily slipped away without being detected and started looking for a medical component office. The station was huge; it would be difficult to find what he wanted quickly. That was ok to him, he needed the walk.  
  
The youth passed a picture window on his way down an empty corridor. He noticed the planet below and walked over to gaze at it, placing his gloved hands on the sill. The surface of Morsipher was mostly few miles deep green oceans with high mountains as its only land. Snow white clouds smeared along the sky like frosting on a cake. chaos smiled slightly, picture perfect.  
  
~This will mean nothing to you soon.~  
  
Nephilim's long ago words echoed within the halls of his mind, his smile vanished. Almost angrily, chaos turned his back, and walked away from the window. A childish thought crossing his mind: It's not fair!  
  
After a good looking around, chaos finally found the component office he needed. He bought the ingredients with his own money, placed them into his pouch, and headed back for the Elsa. A clock on the way told him that the ship would be fully repaired by now.  
  
Hurriedly the teen entered the Elsa and headed for the bridge. Just as the first double doors opened his, communicator started ringing.  
  
"Hello?" he said before the next set of doors opened.  
  
"chaos where the heck are ya?!" Mathews asked rather loudly, "We're all ready to take off!"  
  
"I'm right here captain."  
  
"What?!" Tony, Hammer, and Mathews turned to see chaos grinning in front of the door. chaos pocketed his communicator and went to his station.  
  
"Sorry about being a little late captain. Alpha 8234 isn't a place to find something in a hurry."  
  
"S'all right chaos. Sorry if I'm a little edgy."  
  
chaos waved the apology aside as he sat down, "I know why you are captain. Everyone is. The thought of a gnosis homeworld is heart gripping enough."  
  
"You don't seem worried about it though." Hammer observed from his navigators seat across from him.  
  
"Everyone has a fear of something. But not all have the same fear." chaos looked at his terminal, his fingers started running over the keypad. Hammer scratched his head; chaos never answers anyone with an answer indicating himself. The navigator thought. And did he just pull a joke a few minutes ago? From the long time that they'd known the aloof young man, he never pulled anything except saving us in the nick of time stunts.  
  
Hammer shrugged the issue aside. He had to concentrate at the task at hand, if he didn't keep careful track of where they were, they'd end up lost! This route that the star map was taking them was really testing his skills.  
  
Nobody noticed, but chaos suddenly gripped his shoulder and scrunched his eyes closed. It was spreading a little faster now. The infection had gripped his heart in its deadly hands. chaos took a deep breath, quickly regaining his composer.  
  
It was late, Shion, Alan, and MOMO who'd said she couldn't sleep and wanted to help. Were working on a malfunction that happened to Kos-mos. The letters on the screen reflected faintly on Shion's glasses. Her bright green eyes read quickly what was being shown, "Alan, what do you have?"  
  
"The same as you chief. Looks like just a little water had gotten through a crack in her armor."  
  
Shion sighed, "Well no more dishes for you Kos-mos." She grinned. The android stared at her blankly from her open pod. Of course, the joke went right over her head. Shion opened up a few boxes stored under the terminal, "Oh man. Alan, do you have any armor repair units?"  
  
Alan slapped his pockets, once then thought a moment, "They're in my desk drawer in the cabin."  
  
"I'll get it!" MOMO said excitedly and ran out of the maintenance room before Alan could object. The Vector employees shook their heads, "If that girl went to go spy on Jr. in his nothing but his boxers, then no girls allowed in any part of the ship anymore." Alan kidded. Shion giggled and yawned at the same time.  
  
Running softly so as not to wake anyone, MOMO made her way through the dimly lit ship to cabin A, where the men slept. The door hissed silently open to reveal an almost black room. The only lights were glowing green circles along the bottom of the walls so that a person could see where they were going in the middle of the night.  
  
Snoring could be heard from the bunks in the corner. MOMO creped about until she found the enclosed desk. It was beside the bunk beds, so she'd have to be extra quiet. She started opening the bottom left drawer. The realian cringed when it made a groaning sound.  
  
On the other side of the wall, snorting disrupted the rhythmic snoring, a toss over, and then began again. MOMO relaxed. Inside, her bright amber eyes could only see the first few inches. An idea popped into her head, and she pulled the laser pen out of her pocket. She switched the gears and it became a penlight. Nope, not in there. Cautiously, MOMO closed the drawer and opened the top one just enough to snake her small hand through to reach the small pack that was the armor repair unit. Victorious, the pink haired realian started tiptoeing toward the door.  
  
A small whimper reached her ears.  
  
Startled, MOMO turned to find the source. At first she couldn't see who'd done it, then she noticed that in the corner bottom bunk a small restless form tossed over again. It was chaos. MOMO quickly scanned the youth to see that his heart rate was increasing; perspiration was forming all over his body. A red x started blinking over his left shoulder.  
  
A sort of schematics of chaos' body appeared in her vision, she scanned him with a different kind of scanner. This time instead of nothing, green lines appeared from the center of his shoulder and spread through out the schematics like a spider web incomplete. MOMO gasped and ran out of the room. She had to tell Shion! chaos snapped awake in time to hear the door close.  
  
MOMO ran along the dim corridors to the maintenance lad. I was right! There 'is' something wrong with chaos! Why didn't he tell us before? It's obvious that whatever is inside him is bad. MOMO thought. She turned into the one way corridor and almost screamed at who was standing there. chaos grabbed her in time to prevent that.  
  
"Shh! Please MOMO."  
  
The realian struggled out of his grip, "chaos, why didn't you tell us that you're sick? You need help!"  
  
Once more the silver haired teen covered her mouth, "Please MOMO," he begged, "Don't tell anyone of what you just found out."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
chaos sighed and ran a hand through his slightly messy hair. This was not supposed to happen. Most likely his nightmare had gotten to where he couldn't control what he did while he slept, "Because there is no help for me MOMO."  
  
"Huh? There's got to be!"  
  
"Shh! Keep your voice down. No there isn't. Not in medication anyway. Please MOMO," he said again, "promise that you won't tell anyone. You hear me? Not even Ziggy or Jr."  
  
MOMO hesitated, then nodded, "On one condition."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That 'you' promise to tell everyone if it starts to get really bad." she stated. chaos considered the request. What other choice did he have? Anything to keep her quiet.  
  
"Alright, I promise too."  
  
MOMO stuck a fist out with her pinky and thumb up, "Pinky swear to complete it."  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "What?"  
  
"We have to lock our pinkies and then bight our thumbs."  
  
"Where'd you get that idea?"  
  
"Shion showed me it when she made me promise not to jump her while she had coffee in her hand." the bright amber eyed girl smiled. chaos returned the smile. How cute. He thought.  
  
They locked pinkies and then bit down on their thumbs. MOMO then took his creamy brown skinned hand in her pale one. She squeezed it, "Don't forget. If it gets to be too much, then you tell us."  
  
"Don't worry, I never forget my promises."  
  
Once more the realian smiled, "Well, got to get this to Shion and Alan. Kos- mos has a slight break in her armor."  
  
chaos patted her on the shoulder, "Well get going then, or Shion will come with a search party before long." He watched as MOMO disappeared down the dark hallway. He trusted her. Like everyone trusted him. That trust would be put to the test soon.  
  
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What do ya think? Review please! 


	7. Pirates

Chapter 7: Pirates  
  
MOMO was true to her word and told no one of his infection. She acted as though she didn't know anything when she was around everyone. chaos noticed though that she was always giving him worried glances when no one was looking. That was just the way MOMO was, caring about everyone's well being.  
  
chaos stretched his slender arms above his head to get the kinks out of his joints. They were in open space now, unprotected space.  
  
"Hey chaos, you got anything?" Hammer asked.  
  
"Nope. Nothing on my screen."  
  
The blonde navigator sighed heavily, "All this waiting around waiting for a pirate ship or a gnosis swarm to attack us is really straining my nerves.  
  
"Well atleast you're not right next to the window where you're most likely to get killed first!" Tony said from up front.  
  
"Uh huh, very true."  
  
"Shut up you two and get back to work. I want to get this trip over and done with in one piece." Mathews commanded as he walked in with a datapad in one hand, and sugar loaded coffee in the other. Tony released his grip on the controls, massaging his soar wrists. Several times he'd grudgingly let MOMO drive when he couldn't take the strain anymore. Still, he was pushing himself. chaos rested his chin on one hand, then noticed something on his screen.  
  
Alan suddenly appeared stretching and yawning, "Morning. Where are we at?"  
  
"Geez Alan, and we thought chaos slept a lot." Hammer joked.  
  
"My alarm clock didn't go off. Not that I really need it or anything. It's really just a habit from the Woglinde."  
  
"A habit from all the way back then? Yeesh, I wish I had your will to keep doing things. And about your question, we're still in open space." Alan didn't seem to pleased with this answer, "How much more before we reach protected space?"  
  
"Should be a few more days unless we run into unwanted company." Hammer replied.  
  
"Be quiet Hammer! Don't jinx us by saying that!"  
  
"I think he already did." chaos interrupted. Everyone stared at him. Suddenly the alarms started going off.  
  
Hammer checked his screen to see an unidentified ship almost within ramming range, "chaos! Why didn't you say so earlier!"  
  
"Sorry." he stated simply.  
  
"Tony get goin before that thing hits us!"  
  
Tony slammed down on the controls and they shot forward. Due to its length and size however, they were unable to clear the other ship in time. The Elsa shook violently.  
  
The rest of the crew came running through the doors, "What is going on!" Shion demanded.  
  
"The other ship is latched onto the catapult sir!" chaos informed.  
  
"What?! Seal it off! Dang it, pirates."  
  
The ship shook violently again. Sparks showered down from a corner terminal.  
  
"Hull breach. They're trying to get inside!" Hammer yelled franticly.  
  
"Tony shake them off!"  
  
The pilot struggled with the controls, sweat running down the side of his face, "I can't! They've somehow attached themselves!"  
  
Ziggy started for the door, "I'm going down there to keep the men from infiltrating the ship."  
  
"Right behind you Ziggy!" Jr. called. The cyborg snapped his arm out straight and lines of energy appeared and materialized his new adomantium armblade.  
  
"Kos-mos, let's go." Pink energies surrounded her left arm and her M.W.S. appeared.  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
The ship was vibrating constantly now. chaos stood and fallowed after them, "MOMO stay here."  
  
"Why? I can fight too you know!"  
  
"Alan take care of her. MOMO, trust me, you'll want to stay here okay?"  
  
Her shoulders slumped, "Fine."  
  
"Captain, lock the doors when I leave."  
  
"You've got it."  
  
Alan took over chaos' station, loading a gun while he was at it. MOMO stood in front of the now locked doors, looking at them with a little annoyance.  
  
The group stood in front of the sealed doors to the catapult, weapons at the ready. The pirates ship could still be heard grinding through the thick metal plating on the ships belly. Air was being sucked out of the chamber but would soon be sealed again when the pirates jumped out of their ship in their space suits. The screen off to the side of the door flashed warnings.  
  
Jr. walked up, pressed a few keys, and a camera activated to show them what was happening. All size crates were being dragged toward the holes in the center of the floor. Four jagged spikes, plus the nose of the ship were jutting out. Robotic arms had appeared out of their tubes and were welding temporary metal slates that would stop the air from being sucked out for a short amount of time.  
  
Finally the air stopped and a moment of silence followed. The arms folded back, oval shaped doors suddenly popped open on all sides of the half seen ship. Pirates in small but dangerously fast A.G.W.S's jumped out. One instantly turned and shot the camera, the screen became static.  
  
"Everyone get ready!" Jr. spun his guns around his fingers, backing away from the door. Shion raised her M.W.S. Kos-mos scanned beyond the door but was interrupted by a blocking signal.  
  
"Shion, I cannot tell approximately when they are coming. My scanners are being blocked."  
  
"Just don't let your guard down."  
  
"Affirmative."  
  
A few minutes passed, and still nothing happened. Jr. fidgeted uncomfortably, where are they?! Quit playing come and find us and come out!  
  
"Everyone get out of this corridor now!" Ziggy yelled. The cyborg scooped up Shion before she could question and everyone else managed to get out of the way before the door exploded in their faces. Shards of metal imbedded themselves into the corner wall they'd just been standing in front of. The door way was obscured from view when a smoke bomb was set off.  
  
Kos-mos fired right into the center of the oncoming cloud. The sound of a dying man and machine reached everyone's ears. More of them could be heard stomping through the smoke.  
  
"Keep them from coming inside!" Jr. yelled as he shot where he thought he heard one.  
  
"Shion, you and the others move further back." Kos-mos commanded. They nodded and retreated to the end of the corridor.  
  
"Charging," Kos-mos' right arm began to glow hot white. The android snapped it forward, "R-Canon!" A huge bullet shell was pushed out of her arms and the first wall of pirates was obliterated in a shower of bright rainbow energies. With lightning reflexes, Kos-mos ran away from the extended shockwave the tight hallway had created. Shion, Ziggy, Jr. and chaos waited until she reached them before they too started to run.  
  
Skidding to a halt suddenly, chaos looked over his shoulder. More of the pirates were pilling with energy shields that protected them from the R- Canon's leftover blast. The pirates spotted chaos and two by two they rushed forward. The young man thrust his hand forward, "Chain Blast!"  
  
Neon green chains appeared out of nowhere and wrapped themselves tightly around the robots. They began cutting through the armor and then cut through the man inside. Blood and sparks of electricity leaked out of the first two. Instantly they were trampled by another pare and another.  
  
chaos brought his hands up on either side, gathering blue balls of energy, "Heaven's Wrath!" Bright blue energy traveled all the way down the corridor but didn't damage the small A.G.W.S.'s much since it was energy. But they were overloaded with excess energy, so they couldn't move at the moment.  
  
Ziggy grabbed chaos' shoulder and jerked him out of the way. He lunged at the pirates, his adomantium armblade slicing through them like they were hot butter. Jr. shot with perfect precision, hitting each right in the visor. Suddenly a blast of invisible energy rocked the ship, causing Ziggy to be pinned under a demobilized pirate.  
  
"Ziggy!" Jr. tried to lift the A.G.W.S. but it was in vain. Kos-mos suddenly appeared and started making the difference. Her machinery could be heard straining against the weight, "Shion hurry!"  
  
The Vector employee and chaos used all their strength to drag the heavy cyborg out from under the robot. Kos-mos let it drop, brought out her gun and shot at the visor. Blood splattered against the glass.  
  
Shion quickly examined Ziggy, then put her hand over her chest as a strange symbol appeared under her feet, "Open Ether Circuit!" Light enveloped Ziggy, his flesh and broken bones healed over instantly.  
  
Something flew down the corner aimed for Kos-mos who didn't notice it. She suddenly heard electricity sparking madly right behind her. chaos had taken the blow.  
  
The device was latched to the youth's chest with long black 'tentacles'. Electricity jutted freely all around chaos' body, freezing him in place.  
  
"chaos!" Shion screamed. She watched as chaos stiffly fell over, his eyes glazed. Before anyone could move, another stunner flew through the air and attached itself to Kos-mos' chest. The android tried to resist but her systems crashed and she was forcefully shut down.  
  
What looked like a biggie sized version of the stunners, climbed along the ceiling. It's many arms keeping it in place, a few stretching out to grab Kos-mos.  
  
"Oh no you don't! Take this!" a giant eye surrounded by strange symbols appeared in front of Shion, "Spell Ray!" To her astonishment, the machine absorbed the concentrated Ether beam. It swiped Shion out of the way along with Jr. Sending them both against the wall.  
  
It turned and scanned for the deployed stunners. Their signals were picked up. The Shocker recorded data.  
  
"Look! The pirates are leaving!" Hammer pointed at the window at the departing ship. Mathews turned on the intercoms, "Miss Vector? Master Gainun? Anybody?" He swore when no reply came, "Alan, are the security cameras working?"  
  
"Ahrg, no. Or atleast not in the lower level where they were."  
  
Mathews loaded a gun and jumped down from his chair, "Come on, lets see if they're okay."  
  
"I'm coming too!" MOMO piped up. Alan didn't object, the little realian had the better healing abilities than they did.  
  
"Tony, keep a tab on which way that thing goes." Mathews ordered.  
  
"You got it boss."  
  
The trio hurriedly made their way to the lower level to find it a mess. Burn marks were all along the walls and floor, including blaster holes. Alan dismissed all of this, he walked through a column of smoke without hesitation.  
  
"Alan wait! Dang it." Mathews said, they had no idea what had been left behind. After a few tense minutes Alan's voice reached them, "MOMO! Captain! Come here quick!"  
  
The two jumped through the smoke to find Alan holding an unconscious Shion, Jr. was right next to them, so was Ziggy and chaos.  
  
"Jr!" MOMO ran over to her friend. He groaned, "I'm fine MOMO. Help chaos, he's in worse shape." MOMO did what the red head said. He was right, chaos was burned with second degrees and was out like a rock.  
  
Alan shook Shion, trying to wake her, "Chief? Chief, are you okay?" he chanted over and over.  
  
"I'll go and get a med kit." Mathews left the way they'd come. Alan started to lightly slap Shion's smoke smeared cheek till finally she came too. He sagged over her in relief, "Gosh chief, don't scare me like that." he hugged her close, all his shyness gone.  
  
Shion murmured something.  
  
"Huh? What'd you say chief?"  
  
"Kos-mos, where's Kos-mos?"  
  
Alan glanced around the ruined hallway, all he saw was them, and shattered A.G.W.S's. But Kos-mos was nowhere to be seen.  
  
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Myahahahahahaha! Cliff hangie! I actually finished this chap on the same day as "Observations". But I decided to wait. Review please! 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:  
  
Mathews returned with a med kit for Shion and Jr., then set about looking for Kos-mos in the wreckage of A.G.W.S.'s but came up with nothing. Ziggy recuperated quickly, but needed to be repaired due to crushing damage to one of his metal legs.  
  
MOMO watched as Shion threw an angry fit about the pirates taking Kos-mos. Mathews tried to calm her somewhat by saying that Tony should know where they went. The Vector employee didn't waist a second in running up to the bridge, Alan and the captain fallowing closely behind. MOMO turned back to chaos. The youth's clothing was almost completely reduced to charred ashes, and bright red skin could be seen. The realian carefully turned him onto his back, receiving a protesting groan.  
  
"Jr.?"  
  
The U.R.T.V. looked up from wrapping his arm, "Ya MOMO, what is it?"  
  
"I need you to remove this from chaos' chest." She pointed to the mini Stunner, "Somebody planned this I bet you. See? It shocked him with enough volts to shut down a machine without harming the data inside. How chaos is still alive is a miracle." She scanned the machine latched onto chaos' chest, "Be careful, it's still active."  
  
Jr. finished wrapping his arm, then walked over and knelt beside MOMO, "I think you're right," he started to carefully examine the Stunner, "first we should get him to sick bay, give him some pain reliever, and then we'll try and get this off." MOMO ran off to go and get a stretcher.  
  
Ziggy, who sitting against the wall, looked over the carnage that would have to be cleaned up soon, "What do you suppose they want with Kos-mos?" he asked suddenly. Jr. looked up, "Well, there are several possibilities on that. They could have found out about her and then wanted to sell her to the highest bidder. But Kos-mos is 'way' too valuable for someone to do that. Some mechanic freak must have hacked into the military files and found out about the operation."  
  
"So you're saying who ever it was, wants Kos-mos for himself."  
  
"Yep. She 'is' the most amazing piece of technology ever created."  
  
There was a small humming sound and MOMO came running down the wrecked hallway, pulling a hovering stretcher behind her. Ziggy and Jr. carefully lifted the slim body of chaos onto it, and escorted MOMO unnecessarily to the medical room.  
  
Ziggy limped heavily, "I'm going to require a new leg bone." He inquired.  
  
"You have spare cyborg parts." Said Jr.  
  
"Yes, it's just the surgery that has to be done before that can be installed."  
  
"Oh goody," Jr. sighed, running a slightly blood covered hand through his messy hair, "uh, I think me and MOMO can do that."  
  
"Thank you, I appreciate it."  
  
"No problem. What do you say MOMO?"  
  
The realian didn't respond. She was looking at the ground as she walked, one hand on the stretcher to guide it.  
  
"MOMO?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, ya. I can do that."  
  
The sick bay door opened automatically. They attached one end of the stretcher to the terminal it originally came from. This was so that it was easier to monitor a patient's vitals. Jr. left, then returned with some tools that would help him remove the Stunner from chaos. While he did this, MOMO took out a small needle filled with sleep medicine. She injected the liquid.  
  
The pink haired realian went to look at the terminal, checking the silver haired youth's currant status. Ziggy left to his maintenance chair, taking some pain relievers with him. MOMO noticed that the computer was saying that chaos' consciousness was still at normal. The drug was not taking affect like it was supposed to. She also noticed something else, it wasn't just showing his burns. It was also picking up traces of his sickness.  
  
Instantly MOMO closed the screen.  
  
Jr. worked on the Stunner for a good half an hour before he managed to crack the code and remove it. In doing so, what was left of chaos' orange vest and tight black suit ripped away.  
  
"Dang that thing was stubborn. It threatened atleast ten times to activate again. Can you believe it? Ten times! Yeesh, who ever created these did a--- what's that?" Jr. saw faded black green veins on chaos' chest. MOMO stiffened.  
  
Jr. was abruptly shoved away from chaos toward the door, "Okay Jr. thanks for your help. I've got a friend to help now and I need quiet. You can go now!" she said while pushing out of the room.  
  
"What---? Ouch! Quit your shoving MOMO I'm leaving!" he turned around, "You sure you don't need my help anymore? I could---."  
  
"Nope, don't need it. Only with Ziggy, k bye!" she shut the door in his face.  
  
Okay, Jr. thought. That was weird. He sighed, and left to go clean himself up.  
  
MOMO pressed a few buttons on the keypad next to the door. There was a click, and they locked into place. She couldn't risk anyone coming in suddenly. She set about gathering the things she would need to treat chaos' burns.  
  
The realian first rubbed a special 'liquid' all over the burns. This lotion was filled with billions of nano bugs, and they would speed up the bodies healing process, plus preventing scars. MOMO walked around to the terminal again and activated the machine above chaos. A laser slowly traveled all the way down his body, scanning it for anymore injuries that she might have missed.  
  
* * * * * * * ** **** ** * * ** * * * * ** ** * * * * * * * ** ** * * * ** * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Tony, are you sure you're tracking them right?" Shion asked almost angrily. The blonde pilot was on the verge of cracking. She'd been asking that question over and over for the passed six hours! He understood that she was upset about Kos-mos' abduction. But she was really testing his patience.  
  
"Yes Shion, I am. It's just that their ship are faster than the Elsa, and they are covering their tracks. So could you please go find something to keep you busy. I promise I'll let you know if I find anything."  
  
Shion placed her hands on her hips, "How can I concentrate when those pirates could be trashing Kos-mos for all I know!"  
  
"Chief!" Alan yelled. Startled, Shion turned to look at him.  
  
"Chief, try to calm down. If those thugs are smart, they'll realize she's too valuable to tear apart. Most likely they'll try to sell her and then we'll atleast have another chance to get Kos-mos back."  
  
That made sense, "Thanks Alan. Maybe I should go and help MOMO and Jr." bright green eyes glued to the floor, the Vector employee left the bridge.  
  
Alan sighed, "Honestly, she acts like a mother to Kos-mos. Not that that's bad or anything. But it could get us frustrated at her. And that could cost us." Tony, who was the only other one in the room, nodded.  
  
"Your girlfriend is very protective of everyone. Especially of that android."  
  
"What?! Girlfriend?"  
  
Tony continued, "Don't give me that you lucky son of a gun. I watch how you act around Shion. How you're protective over her and Kos-mos. You even blush when she's even mentioned in a conversation. Heck, Kos-mos is like your own kid!"  
  
Turning beet red and really uncomfortable, Alan left the room.  
  
Kos-mos like our kid? What a sicko! Alan thought as he hurried to the cabins. Shion's just a life long friend and I just care about her. Not in that way though. The co-worker plopped down onto the couch. He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling.  
  
Well in a way Tony was right. He and Shion had made Kos-mos together.  
  
"Okay Alan that thought sounded a little disturbing." The blonde scolded himself. His thoughts continued: They were protective of the android, and they were dedicating their whole lives to the android. A lot of the time Kos-mos 'did' act like a child. Maybe Tony was a little more than right and him and Shion.  
  
Jr. and MOMO cleaned up the blood that had spilt all over the surgery table. Ziggy was still asleep/shut down. And wouldn't be awoken for a long time. The two friends had just finished replacing the cyborg's new metal leg bone. Really Ziggy's legs were all metal, but the damage was right near his knee, that and up was still flesh.  
  
Jr. tossed his gloves into a waste bin, "Well that wasn't too hard. Everything is back to normal. Now we just have to let his normal body functions to heal over that." he picked up his black coat from the table along the wall and put it on, "By the way MOMO, how's chaos doing?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"He should recover pretty quickly. His regeneration cells seem to be double that of a normal human being." The realian didn't look at Jr. as she finished washing her hands.  
  
"MOMO what's wrong? You haven't been acting your self lately. Six hours to be exact. What's wrong?" he placed his hands gently on her shoulders. MOMO didn't look him in the eye, "Nothing's wrong. I guess it's just what happened. I've got to go check on chaos if you don't mind. Thanks for the concern though, I really do appreciate it." the amber eyed girl backed away from Jr. and left the room quickly.  
  
"Something's gotta be wrong." Jr. said to himself.  
  
When MOMO arrived in chaos' room, she was surprised to see him sitting up, "chaos! You're okay!"  
  
"Well of course I'm fine. It takes more than just a stunner to take out anyone." The youth had been dressed in loose fitting white clothing that would be used for burned victims. But his skin was didn't have any red marks or scratches anymore. It was flawless creamy brown again.  
  
"No one saw did they?" chaos suddenly asked as MOMO walked over to him. She shook her head, "Nope. I covered all of you know what with skin colored make up so Jr. wouldn't see. And like I was going to dress you." She blushed and giggled.  
  
chaos shook his head in amusement, "I definitely wouldn't want that." his face suddenly became serious, "Those pirates took Kos-mos didn't they?"  
  
MOMO scraped her foot along the floor, looking down, "Yes they did."  
  
chaos' face showed no emotion. Inside however, anger was bubbling madly. MOMO spotted the youth's hand gripping the side of the stretcher so hard his knuckles were turning white. His moment of anger was interrupted by pain throbbing in his shoulder.  
  
"MOMO, I'm going to go to the cabins."  
  
"You sure you don't want to rest a little longer?"  
  
"No," he politely declined, "I need to get something done." chaos threw his legs over the side of his makeshift bed. The floor was very cold against his bare feet, but his skin was still hot so he didn't mind.  
  
chaos walked swiftly and gracefully, like he'd never been hurt. Shion, whom was heading to the medical room to help, stared at him in amazement. chaos didn't speak to her, just kept walking like she wasn't there.  
  
In the solitude of the men's cabin, the silver haired youth brought out the Teelaho concoction and injected it into his shoulder. The pain remained, but the throbbing stopped. chaos sighed.  
  
He dug into his drawers and found extra clothes exactly like his old ones. A black form fitting body suit, odd orange vest, blue and orange gloves, matching boots, and white shorts. Anyone would strike that as odd style, but he liked odd. So did---. He cut that thought. A pain clumping in his throat, reminding chaos once again of his split choice.  
  
"Well chaos," the youth said to himself, pulling his gloves higher up his arm, "Let's hope something can be worked out."  
  
Everyone was surprised to see chaos walk into the bridge looking like he'd never been touched. When asked, he merely smiled and answered, "Not all are the same in body."  
  
Tony suddenly swore horribly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Shion demanded.  
  
Tony hesitated, "Uh, well I uh. Just lost em."  
  
"What?!!" Alan and Shion yelled together, making Tony flinch. chaos thought he saw a tiny grin cross the pilots lips but was quickly replaced by the expression he was in deep crap. chaos intertwined his fingers behind his head and waited.  
  
Shion and Alan were franticly searching the scanners for the pirate ship, but it was out of range.  
  
"This is so not good!" Shion screamed. She death glared Tony, "Why'd you lose them!"  
  
"Hey, it's not my fault that they have a faster ship than ours okay!"  
  
"But they have Kos-mos!"  
  
"I know that! Would you please stop reminding me like that! It's really getting on my nerves."  
  
Shion's temper got the better of her, "You should've been paying more attention to what you were doing! MOMO could've done better!"  
  
Ouch.  
  
Tony unstrapped himself and faced the angry woman, "Don't be comparing me to that synthetic thing! She's still a robot after all!"  
  
Double ouch. Good thing neither Jr. nor MOMO was there.  
  
"MOMO is not just a robot Tony! She's still just as living as you!"  
  
"No she isn't! She was grown in a tube for petes sake!"  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
"WHAT!" Tony and Shion turned at once.  
  
chaos didn't flinch, "You strayed from the meaning of the argument. I think it would be better if we concentrated on the task at hand."  
  
Tony and Shion turned their backs on eachother.  
  
"How are we supposed to track those thugs chaos?" Alan asked.  
  
"Follow the asteroids."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
chaos pointed at a fine line up of asteroids that everyone had missed somehow, "Don't pirates always hide in giant asteroids? They're great for a hidden base, and sometimes those rocks have reflective surfaces so scanners have trouble finding them."  
  
Shion suddenly grabbed his face, "You are a lifesaver chaos!" she kissed him on the forehead and went over to a side terminal. Out of his peripheral vision, chaos watched Alan clench his fist and go beet red.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~  
  
Uuh, ya. Next chapter will be a little better. Review please! 


	9. Akita

Chapter 9: Akita  
  
~System check.~  
  
*Mobility functions disabled  
  
~Emergency Activation Commencing~  
  
*Password:  
  
697034KeVin  
  
*Activation Progression:  
  
15%  
  
25%  
  
50%  
  
65%  
  
80%  
  
95%  
  
100%  
  
~Activation Complete~  
  
Upon opening her eyes, Kos-mos experienced a moment of static. A few seconds later her automatic repair kicked in and her vision cleared. The android looked around to see that she was standing in an open pod against the wall. Her wrists, ankles, and outstretched arms were held in place by humming shackles. The only thing that Kos-mos could really move was her eyes. The room she was currently held captive in was not that of any of the Elsa's.  
  
Kos-mos immediately knew that the pirates that had attacked the Elsa had captured her. It was obvious that they'd been planning this for awhile. The Shocker that had deployed its 'companion' had not been just a random collector. Her sensors suddenly picked up movement and a door in the corner of the room hissed open.  
  
A girl looking of the age of seventeen walked in. She was wearing what appeared to be the red and black form fitting suit that the battle realians of the Federation Fleet. Her long purple and silver hair was up in low pigtails, and her calm crystalline grey eyes seemed distant.  
  
"You're awake. I see your recover rate is faster than anticipated."  
  
"Are you the one who kidnapped me?" Kos-mos demanded.  
  
The girl shook her head, "No, I'm Akita. Most advanced research and navigations realian on this base."  
  
"Yet you are wearing a uniform of the Federation. What happened?"  
  
Akita looked away, "I was the navigations unit for a Federation ship yes. But my master mobbed the ship and decided to take me as one of his prizes. He uses me for tracking and traveling throughout this sector and others. And for research in many things I care not to recount."  
  
"He did not just erase your entire memory and reboot you?"  
  
"No. My master thought it to be amusing for me to know I was working for him, and going against my orders. He hacked into my neural net, reprogrammed and put in a few programs of his own."  
  
"What is this masters name?"  
  
"Yotomi Kar're."  
  
Processing.......  
  
Yotomi Kar're  
  
Age: 32  
  
Gender: Male  
  
Available Family Members: Deceased  
  
Current Location: Unknown  
  
/Select (**) For More Information/  
  
Is wanted by VI, GFG, EC, SOCE, FF, *etc*.  
  
For hacking into government files, stealing merchandise, kidnapping realians (some sent back to assassinate or explode at coordinated or random time) *etc*.  
  
"I see." Kos-mos focused back on Akita, "I'm assuming that Yotomi wants me because I'm the latest invention of Vector Industries."  
  
One of the realian's hands reached over to clasp the opposite arm, "Your assumptions are partially correct. Master Yotomi is going to attempt to unlock your secrets. 'All' of them. And once that is done, he will proceed to make his own androids."  
  
This news obtained Kos-mos' full, and complete attention, "My objectives cannot be hacked into, or tampered with. Any attempt will end in disaster."  
  
"I know how you feel Kos-mos. But there isn't anything Yotomi can't do if he desperately wants it." Akita turned to leave.  
  
"Wait."  
  
She turned back.  
  
"If you dislike your master so much Akita, then why don't you help me escape. I have a mission, several in fact, which I need to fulfill. Shion will not tolerate this. And knowing one of my creators, including her friends, they will not be so easily discouraged in finding me and shutting down Kar're."  
  
The navigations and research realian smiled softly, "I wish I could Kos- mos. But I can't even escape myself. Not with the programming that my master put inside me. And I hope not all your friends come looking for you."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"One of your companions is the Y-Data container is she not?"  
  
The android didn't answer.  
  
The door hissed open, "Yotomi will be here shortly. I will accompany him. Good luck in protecting your data Kos-mos. I wish I could have been as confident as you."  
  
Kos-mos watched as the doors closed behind the realian. Once again she took stock of her situation. Her mobility functions had been deactivated; most likely due to the electric shackles that held her. And she was in the hands of one of the most feared pirates in the galaxy. There was nothing she could do in her current state.  
  
* * * ** * * ** * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * ** * ** ** ** * * * * ** ** * * * * * * ** * ** * * * * * * *  
  
The Elsa sped up to avoid being sandwiched by two huge asteroids.  
  
Captain Mathews thumped his fist irritably on the arm of his chair, "Ah! These collisions are slowing us down. And none of these are big enough to maintain a base. chaos, do you have anything on your scanners?"  
  
"The scanners probing signals keep bouncing off ice on the asteroids sir. I'm not getting anything."  
  
"Same with me." Hammer added.  
  
Mathews removed hit red cap, "Dang it. Who ever this crime lord is. He sure picked a good place to hide." They'd already been dodging asteroids almost all day, and Tony was getting exhausted fast.  
  
chaos looked over the top of his terminal, "Tony? Go above the field, we can scan from there and let you rest."  
  
"Got it. Ascending from asteroid field."  
  
The pilot unstrapped himself as soon as they'd reached safe distance and left the bridge. chaos put his face hands for a moment before going back to scanning. He knew where she was, atleast relatively.  
  
chaos could sense the mass of life forms all the way to the center of the field hiding within their little base. The asteroid was half the size of Second Miltia's middle sized moon. Sort of small for Yotomi's stature. But it was too well hidden for him to give up. chaos was tempted to spill the whole thing to the crew to give them a bit of a break, but Nephilim's warning of revealing too much of his abilities kept him at bay.  
  
What if we don't make it in time? chaos thought. It just wasn't fair that he couldn't help as much as he wanted to. He could only nudge them towards the right path and the rest was their choice.  
  
"What are you staring at chaos?" Shion asked from behind.  
  
"I was just thinking."  
  
"About what?" Hammer asked.  
  
"Everyone has their own worries."  
  
The navigator looked over at him, "You're worried for Kos-mos."  
  
And many other things, "Yes."  
  
"Do you have feelings for her chaos?" Shion suddenly asked as she stepped beside the youth. chaos looked up at the chief engineer, considering his answer.  
  
"Do you not have feelings for Kos-mos?"  
  
"Well, of course I do. She's like a daughter to me in a way, or even a little sister."  
  
chaos smiled gently. He couldn't give a real answer for his feelings. Or atleast not a complete answer. What his choices were, and the situation he was in. He couldn't fully make that decision.  
  
The silver haired youth looked emotionlessly at his screen. Maybe he could give a little more than a nudge in the right direction.  
  
"Hey Hammer. As soon as we get moving again, tell Tony to head to these coordinates. 03' 86' 280'."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"We'll start searching there." Mathews finalized.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Ok ok ok so it was a little short. Sorry! If you ever want to check the stats on my stories, go to my bio. Review please! 


	10. AGWS Battle

RTR's:  
  
Chapter 10: A.G.W.S. Battle  
  
It was approximately two hours, six minutes, and twenty-four seconds later that the navigations and research realian Akita had first come to see Kos- mos. Now she was back, only this time a slim athletic man with black hair and piercing brown eyes accompanied her. Whom the blue haired android assumed was Yotomi Kar're.  
  
"Ah, so you're up and running. That's all and well, for it seems that I can't tap your databank while you're shut down. What ever that Uzuki did to prevent that was very clever." Yotomi set down a metal briefcase and walked up to Kos-mos, "Don't worry my dear, I shall keep you in tact after I'm through. You're too valuable a piece of technology to put to waist."  
  
"I do not exist for your amusement or pleasure. Or your component for information."  
  
Yotomi laughed, "We'll see."  
  
Kos-mos saw Akita look away in shame.  
  
"Akita dear, hook into the main comp for me. We need to do a little preparation."  
  
The silver and purple haired realian reached behind her ear and pulled out a jack and cord. She hooked up to the center terminal. Her eyes rolled back for a quick moment, "Connection complete."  
  
"Good," Yotomi grinned at Kos-mos before turning away, "begin scans." The crime lord ordered. Akita hesitated, but her programming was too strong for her to resist. So with a forlorn look at Kos-mos, she began her duties.  
  
Kos-mos' sight zoomed in on the cord that connected the realian and selected it. Maybe there was a 25% chance she could escape.  
  
* * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** ** * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * ** * * * * * ** ** * * ** * *  
  
"And why are we going to this location chaos?" Tony asked as he jerked the Elsa to avoid yet another collision. A cargo ship was not exactly your top on the list ship to navigate an asteroid field.  
  
"Do you have a better place to look?"  
  
chaos, Tony thought with a twitch of annoyance, always answering with a question.  
  
Alan pointed, "What's that?"  
  
Everyone looked where the co-worker was pointing. It was a particularly huge hunk a rock that didn't seem to be spinning randomly or anything.  
  
"That looks like a good place for a base." chaos pointed out.  
  
Mathews turned, "Hey Miss Vector, can you track Kos-mos in there?"  
  
Shion's fingers ran across the keyboard. Her face lit up, "Yes! She's somewhere near the top inside."  
  
"Well there ya have it. But how are we gonna get inside is my question. I doubt they'd let us in freely." Mathews mumbled, sarcasm dripping from his words. chaos noted that Hammer was looking at him out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Alarms suddenly rang throughout the Elsa. Red lights began flashing steadily, "Uh oh." Shion glanced at her screen, "We've got company."  
  
"Activating defense system." chaos informed.  
  
Guns popped out of their containers all around the Elsa and began firing upon the oncoming A.G.W.S's. The ship shook heavily as the pirates retaliated. Ziggy, MOMO, and Jr. had appeared to see what was happening.  
  
"Captain." Everyone turned to chaos, "They aren't going to destroy the ship. They're disarming it first. They want to come inside."  
  
"What?! Why? To strip everything 'then' blow it to bits?"  
  
"This cargo ship doesn't really hold much of value to this crime lord."  
  
Everyone turned to MOMO.  
  
Ziggy glared, "No one is getting their filthy hands on her,"  
  
Shion stood up, "We have our A.G.W.S.'s. Ziggy, you can use the VX-4000. WE can eliminate them and then head for the astroid."  
  
"Let's go!" Jr. yelled.  
  
"Careful chief!"  
  
"Oh Alan aren't i MOMO watched them as they left, knowing all to well that she was not going. Jr. gave her a reassuring smile before following chaos and Shion. Ziggy lagged behind.  
  
The cyborg looked first at Alan, then at the rest of the crew, "Take care of her."  
  
Alan gripped the realians shoulders, "Don't worry Zig, you can count on us." Ziggy nodded, then ran after the others. MOMO looked almost annoyed as her guardian left.  
  
"I can take care of myself you know!" she yelled after the doors shut behind him.  
  
Jr. whipped off his black coat and crawled into his snug VX-7000, "Woohooo! Hit it captain!" There was a burst of depressurization smoke as the hanger bay doors opened. Already pirates were lined up and ready to enter.  
  
Shion sped forward, slicing through the pirates with her giant Vibro blade. Jr. leaped out of the hanger close on Shion's tail and started locking on with his missiles. The A.G.W.S. that Ziggy was in was small and not meant for much damage, but it was speedy enough to make up for that.  
  
chaos remained behind, "Captain, close hanger bay doors!" Almost instantly the huge doors slid closed and locked into place. The AG-02 sprung away and began firing a rapid stream of lasers. chaos kept his aim true and steady, each pirate not being able to escape the stubborn teen. He didn't notice the green black vein that was creeping up his neck.  
  
Jr. rammed into a pirate that was sneaking up behind the VX-10000, "Watch your back Shion!"  
  
The red AG.W.S.'s put its huge gun over its shoulder and fired. The shot just grazing the head cockpit, "And watch yours."  
  
The red head rolled his eyes. A second later red lights caught his attention, "Ten more are coming!"  
  
The three battle robots engaged the oncoming enemies once more. Ziggy used the asteroids to his advantage, managing to blow up several by just playing follow me.  
  
This is getting us nowhere, chaos thought. His translucent blue eyes strayed to the asteroid base; maybe he could take another risk.  
  
"Ziggy, Jr. everyone! Deactivate your scanners."  
  
"You've gotta be kidding chaos." Mathews' voice was slightly covered in static.  
  
Jr. spoke next, "Why chaos? Then we won't know if they're behind us or something."  
  
"You won't be able to use them at all if you don't listen to me. Deactivate them now!"  
  
There was silence for a second, then everyone acknowledged. chaos watched his own screen go black. He closed his eyes. Shion and the others didn't notice at first, but a strange glow was starting to stem from his cockpit.  
  
"What---? That looks like MOMO's flawed Hilbert Effect." Shion murmured. The wave of multi colored energy became a shockwave and smacked into the pirate A.G.W.S.'s. chaos pulled the energy back and then sent it toward the base. The effect engulfed the asteroid completely.  
  
"Alert! Alert!" a robotic female voice echoed over and over. Yotomi looked up in annoyance, "Found us already? That was fast." He looked over at Akita, "Are you done yet?" The lights flickered. Yotomi flipped a switch, "Get the emergency generators going. I don't want this station to shut down."  
  
"Yes sir." Replied a voice.  
  
"Scanning complete. Ready to begin uploads." The realian didn't mention she could feel Kos-mos hacking into her neural net. She had to admit, the android was good for not alerting her master's defense system. Let's just hope Kos-mos can get through to my main program before we start. Akita thought.  
  
"chaos what the heck was that?!" Jr. yelled.  
  
The silver haired teen took a few breaths, "You can activate your scanners now. We have to make it to the base's hanger before their home guns come back online." Without waiting for an answer the AG-02 jetted to the pirate base. Jr. looked over at Shion who he could just see through her cockpit screen. The Vector employee shook her head, then followed.  
  
Ziggy blew apart the turrets surrounding the base's closed hanger doorway.  
  
"Don't get close yet you guys." Several missiles shot from Jr.'s A.G.W.S. to obliterate the doors. chaos entered first, followed by Shion, then Ziggy and Jr. Shion's guns shot down the men and realians left in the hanger, plus the preparing A.G.W.S'. An energy shield covered the open doorway to prevent any further damage. Instantly chaos jumped down from his huge battle machine. He reached into his pouch for a shot of Teelaho, and then shattered the needle on the ground.  
  
Jr. threw on his coat before jumping off his A.G.W.S. he spun his guns around his forefingers, "Let's go get em'!" The quad ran through the wreckage and corpses to a hallway leading up.  
  
Hacking Progression:  
  
87%  
  
Kos-mos slipped passed another firewall undetected. This wasn't going as fast as she liked. Yotomi continued about his preparations without a worry that Shion and the others were inside his base.  
  
92%  
  
Akita's eyes flashed with her calculations and the many other things she was doing at the same time. Come on Kos-mos, set me free. And I will repay you.  
  
95%  
  
"Preparations complete Master Kar're." Akita informed.  
  
"Good, I'll admit my lovely flower you actually beat me this time Akita. Standby while I finish up here." said Yotomi.  
  
100%  
  
Akita felt Kos-mos access her main programming and begin erasing the chains that bound her mind. A red light started blinking on Yotomi's wrist terminal. He whipped around in time to see his realian lounge toward him. With lightning movements, Akita snatched the gun from Yotomi's belt and jabbed it into his chest.  
  
"How does it feel to not be in control anymore?"  
  
The crime lord's tone was calm despite the situation, "Not good. I can't believe that Uzuki would program hacking abilities inside a battle android.  
  
"Your assumption is incorrect. Shion did not install that ability."  
  
"Really? Then who did?"  
  
"That information is not available to you."  
  
The floor shook violently and Yotomi took the moment to grab the pistol. But the realian was strong and stubborn, not about to let the thrall master take away her knew found freedom. The two wrestled each other all over the room, Akita keeping her grip firm on the handle.  
  
Kos-mos watched helplessly as human and synthetic battled for dominance. Akita kicked the man and sent him flying. She cocked the gun, "Charging," purple and silver Ether spiraled around her body, gathering at the tip of the pistol, "Lilac Shot!" the realian fired. The bullet that left the barrel caught the Ether and turned into a glowing crystallized mini bomb. Unfortunately being Akita's up grader, Yotomi was already prepared for something like this.  
  
He activated the device on his arm and a reddish aura surrounded him just in time. The after effect of the Lilac Shot was instantly absorbed and then sent back to its owner. Akita sidestepped in time to avoid her own attack. Yotomi reached under a terminal to snatch up an extra gun.  
  
"Sorry my sweat rose. But I still need you later on for the Y-Data container." He managed to shoot the realian in the shoulder. The paralysis poison coated bullet even had an affect on realians since they, in a sense had flesh. Akita was slumped against the wall in dismay, her body growing numb. Yotomi shook his head, "Such bad manners Akita. I'll be sure to put your programming back in as soon as I'm done with your friend." He set the gun down which fell to the floor when the base shook again.  
  
Yotomi looked around irritably, "What is happening?" he asked through a speaker.  
  
The reply was staticy at first, then cleared up, "Master Kar're, we can't hold this kid back! He's not---." His voice was cut off by a gurgling sound.  
  
"Hello?" Yotomi swore, "Get more men down there. Do not let them get to the main deck!"  
  
"Yes sir!" came a different voice. Yotomi turned back to Kos-mos, "We'd better get started." He pressed a few buttons and a robotic voice replied, "Beginning invasion."  
  
Mission Status: Failure  
  
Kos-mos suddenly threw her head back as Yotomi forcefully entered her and began attacking her firewalls relentlessly. The android began to shudder, her machinery straining.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~  
  
Hallelujah another cliffe. Sorry! Don't kill me! *runs away* 


	11. Strange Behavior and Incidents

Wow. I finished a nine page chap in just two days?!!!!!!! Whoa....  
  
Chapter 11: Strange Behavior and Incidents  
  
The halls swarmed with realians, humans, and battle droids alike. The Elsa crew ducked behind corners to avoid being incinerated by a barrage of bullets and lasers. Jr. knelt down, armed a sonic grenade and tossed it down the hallway. There was a huge shockwave of sound. The U.R.T.V. and cyborg jumped out and covered for Shion.  
  
"Take this!" The anger fed engineer brought her M.W.S. up in front of her like she was guarding. Strange symbols and patterns of energy extended all around her feet. Shion knelt on one knee and pointed upward, "Rain Blade!" When the blue blast of Ether reached the roof of the room it exploded into several laser beams that rained down upon the guards.  
  
"Ha, take this!" Jr. used his telekinetic powers to create eight angelic wings sprout from his back and carry him above the crowd of enemies. His arms crossed against his chest. Then with red glowing guns he fired upon those remaining, "Angelic Requiem!"  
  
Jr. landed gently down and surveyed the carnage. Pulling out her holo pad, Shion glanced briefly at the screen, "Kos-mos is somewhere four levels above us."  
  
"Let's go then." Jr. glanced around, "But which way is which?" There were three other doors to choose from.  
  
"This way." Everyone turned to see chaos disappear into the one on the right.  
  
"Are you sure you know where you're going chaos?" Shion asked as they ran after him. He didn't answer. Instead he sent a blast of white energy at a rushing realian from his sparking gloved hand. The enclosed hall suddenly opened into a vast chamber filled with cargo from various raided ships. Opposite of them on a catwalk were several realians with both turrets and automatics. This sort of caught the crew by surprise and they didn't react in time to duck into the hall for cover.  
  
chaos raised both of his hands and the bullets didn't reach them. Shion and the others stared as the bullets hit nothing and vanished, leaving only a ripple like shockwave. The silver haired youth knelt to one knee. He kept one hand up, and with the other he touched the floor.  
  
The turrets exploded.  
  
chaos stood back up and the ground shook beneath him, energy bursting around his booted feet. The energy shot through the floor, up the wall, and electrocuted the metal catwalk. The pirates froze, and then fell down as crisp, charcoaled corpses. chaos didn't look at the others, just lowered his hand and ran towards the stairs.  
  
Back on the Elsa, the crew was left in peace for the time being. MOMO shifted from one foot to another as she stared at the asteroid. It wasn't fair. She wanted to help save Kos-mos, but just because she was holding the deadly Y-Data, she couldn't.  
  
The realian's Dragon Rod bumped her thigh, like it was encouraging her to take action. MOMO merely shuffled her feet again. Alan walked over and knelt beside her, "Hey don't look so down MOMO. Why do you want to go in there anyway?"  
  
"Because Kos-mos is my friend! And I just want to help."  
  
Alan thought a minute, "Look at it this way MOMO, you are helping Kos-mos. Or, in a way atleast."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, if you got caught while trying to save her. Then when she was free she would have to go and rescue you. And right now, she might not be in the best condition to do that."  
  
MOMO looked down at her feet, "I guess that makes sense."  
  
Alan laughed slightly, "Let's just hope---."  
  
Crash! The ship shook.  
  
"they get Kos-mos in time." he stood up, "What was that?"  
  
"I don't know." Mathews bent over his screen on the arm of his chair, "Check the outer cameras Hammer."  
  
"Does anyone feel a vibration?" MOMO asked. There was dead silence for a few seconds. The realian looked down with her bright amber eyes. She could feel it tickling her feet through her feet.  
  
"Hole crap! Captain! They're drilling through that hole we patched up in the catapult!"  
  
"What!"  
  
"Activating hallway turrets." Alan said as he sat back down at his terminal, "Captain, wouldn't it help to turn on the electric flooring so they would be forced to go through the turrets?"  
  
"Moron, the catapult door is not behind that. The hanger bay is. But there is an old battle droid that we got earlier. Maybe we could get it activated, but who's going to go down there to do it?"  
  
The door hissed closed.  
  
"MOMO!" he swore, "Captain keep these doors locked until I come back!" Alan snatched up a rifle gun and went after the realian.  
  
Equipping her Dragon Rod, MOMO ran down the rumbling hall to the elevator. Which shut just as Alan reached her. The co-worker watched MOMO through the rectangle window as it shrank and then cut her off.  
  
The rumbling was strongest on the lower level. A few short minutes later it stopped. MOMO knew the pirates had easily penetrated the cheap scrap metal sheets that the crew had placed over the previous hole to prevent further damage to the catapult.  
  
MOMO ran across the metal bridge to the hanger bay. An explosion knocked her to her knees. The realian looked over her shoulder to see a pirate A.G.W.S. start to squeeze itself through the small doorway from the catapult.  
  
"Uh oh." She jumped to her feet and ran into the left door since it was the closest to her. The A.G.W.S. ran after her but was once again struggling to get through the tight doorway. It locked onto MOMO and lashed out its metal claw in an attempt to snatch up the realian.  
  
MOMO dropped down the hole to the lower deck, having no time to use the ladder. She landed a little shakily on her feet. The top of the ladder and part of the wall shattered as the claw smashed into it. Scraps of metal showered on MOMO's head. Instantly she was moving again.  
  
If MOMO recalled correctly, she'd seen the droid that Captain Mathews had mentioned down in the hanger. It was a few years old model but anything to help them rid the ship of the pirates was greatly appreciated. MOMO skidded around a corner, now running through the inactive defensive flooring who's button she passed on her way to escape the A.G.W.S. This was the long way to the hanger, and most likely there was more than one roaming around searching for her. Standing off to the side when the second to last door opened, MOMO cautiously looked into the next room.  
  
All that could be seen was Ziggy's maintenance chair in the center of the hallway. Heart thudding, MOMO dashed madly to the last door.  
  
Before the elevator platform was even fully lowered, she jumped off and hurried over to the battle droid that was sitting in the far corner. MOMO pulled the jack and cord from behind her ear and hooked up with the machine.  
  
It hummed and beeped.  
  
/Booting/  
  
10%  
  
20%  
  
MOMO tapped her fingers impatiently.  
  
100%  
  
/System Check/  
  
*CPU Damaged*  
  
*Tune-Ups Over Due*  
  
"Oh great. If you're CPU's damaged you won't be able to take orders very well. Uh, what to do what to do."  
  
Crash! Startled, MOMO turned to see the door being indented by pounding machine fists. She turned back to the droid, "Oh!" she complained, "I don't have time to reprogram you. Uh," MOMO glanced around, "Maybe partially reprogramming your data will work. Stand by, I'm coming in."  
  
The pink haired realian dived into the droids main hard drive to begin the partial reprogramming. The pirate smashed down the door, its targeters selecting MOMO.  
  
Alan was knocked against the wall by an explosion from the elevator. Blackness rushed in. The pirate A.G.W.S. stomped passed the engineer to the first door the bridge. The Elsa crew gasped when a huge metal fist punched right through the second door.  
  
"Dang you!" Mathews brought up his gun, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the arm. It retreated and then a grenade was thrown through the hole. Hammer jumped out of his seat.  
  
Flames swirled around Ziggy who sent his Hell Fire Tech Attack at several realians. Most ducked too late to avoid being burned to a crisp. There was still one more floor to go, and it was taking too long to clear each one. Shion's holo pad indicated that Kos-mos was in deep trouble.  
  
"We've got to get up there now!"  
  
Jr. finished shooting his opponent, "We don't have the schematics of this place. We don't know if there's any secret (he paused to shoot down an lounging realian) passage way!"  
  
More realians and men started piling into the huge room in an attempt to take them down. Everyone sent their multi enemy Tech Attacks right at them, but once the smoke cleared, more just kept piling in. Shion didn't notice the turret activating behind her. A beam of energy smashed it to bits.  
  
"Huh? What—MOMO! What are you doing here?!"  
  
The pink haired realian lowered her Dragon Rod, "I had to come and help you guys."  
  
"MOMO," Ziggy seemed a little angry, "you were supposed to wait on the ship. How'd you get here without an A.G.W.S.?"  
  
"I docked the Elsa against the hanger bay that you guys entered. We were attacked and Alan and the others were knocked out."  
  
"What!" Everyone except chaos yelled.  
  
"You left the crew all alone unconscious!" Jr. yelled.  
  
MOMO rolled her eyes, "Of course not unprotected. I managed to activate the old battle droid on the lower deck; it's keeping watch over them. And besides, on my way here I just took down realians that were going to sneak up behind you. Now if we're done yelling can we go and save Kos-mos?"  
  
Perplexed by the realian's outburst and smarts, the others turned back to the task at hand. Another rush of pirates hustled into the room. Everyone tensed.  
  
chaos stepped in front of them, "No," he said quietly, "These guys are mine." chaos loosely extended his right arm out to the side, tensed his fingers, and a column of energy flashed. Shaping into a gold headed, elegantly crafted red spear, "Go as soon as these guys are distracted. Do not hesitate."  
  
"Ready?" He threw the spear high into the air and caught it by the blunt end, "Divine Spear!" Spinning to receive momentum, he released the weapon straight at one man. The spear glowed fiercely; careening right through the pirate like it was still in the air. Then without warning it turned and started to move as if it were alive. Realians started dropping to the floor with stab wounds in their lower gut.  
  
"Go!"  
  
Shion and the others did as he directed, running right through the carnage without glancing at the dying. They stopped when they reached the inside of the next doorway to wait for chaos. His Divine Spear suddenly vanished.  
  
"That attack never worked like that, it was meant for only one person. Why is he just standing there?" Jr. added.  
  
chaos remained where they'd been stuck. His face emotionless, translucent blue eyes placid and calm.Not flinching away when a pirate punched at him with a spiked glove. Moving so fast the eye couldn't register it, chaos twisted his upper body sideways so that the realian punched air and blocked the other's arm with one hand.  
  
Before his opponent could even react, chaos had curled his fingers around his arm, twisted it, then slammed him to the ground. Holding his very unnaturally turned arm the pirate thrashed about in pain. chaos walked slowly forward, not bothering to finish the job.  
  
Shion and the others watched in complete shock as chaos pulled fighting moves that they'd never seen him do before. It began to hurt Shion's eyes since the silver haired teen was moving so fast that she couldn't keep up.  
  
chaos landed numbly on the balls of his feet, thrust his elbow back into the gut of a pirate behind, then snapped his fist up and smacked him in the face. MOMO watched open mouthed. The thud of feet suddenly caught her attention.  
  
MOMO looked over her shoulder to see a HUGE realian. He stood almost eight feet tall, was wearing a tight black and brown utility suit. Pinned against the left side of his chest was the name "Gesono" sewn in bright letters.  
  
Startled, MOMO sent her Melody Ray at the giant in an attempt to put him to sleep. The ray was a direct hit, but Gesono swayed for only a split second before standing still again.  
  
He waggled a finger at her, "Regeneration my sweat. It even works against sleeping energies."  
  
"Ahhhh!!!"  
  
Shion, Ziggy and Jr. all turned and in unison reflex, fired right at Gesono. Each shot was a direct hit but the wounds only healed over as quickly as they came.  
  
Gesono leaped into their midst forcing them to scatter. Jr. shoved MOMO aside in time to avoid being nabbed.  
  
The entire room shook suddenly followed by a huge boom! Nobody had time to take notice however.  
  
Electricity jutted around Ziggy's body, "Executioner!" Gesono doubled over in pain. Jr. and MOMO started charging for their most powerful Tech Attacks as well. Abruptly Gesono looked up and lunged.  
  
"Here I go!" MOMO maintained her concentration. There wasn't enough Ether build up for her Tech Attack, so she changed it. Wings sprouted from her rod, pink pedals whirling around her body, "Floral Tempest!" A white knife like wind extended from the end of her Dragon Rod and she sliced Gesono diagonally across the chest.  
  
This tiny distraction was enough to give Jr. the Ether build up he needed to fire off his Mystic Nocturne. Blackness erupted from underneath Gesono's feet. Ziggy rushed up from behind and stabbed his adomantium blade straight through the elite realian's chest, while Shion jumped in front and hit him several times with her Lunar Blade. Gesono screamed in pain.  
  
The next thing he did was a little surprising.  
  
With inhuman strength, the elite realian spun around behind Ziggurat 8, ripping his side out in the process. MOMO couldn't help but gag as blood poured onto the floor until the wound closed over itself. Gesono gripped Ziggy's neck and squeezed. The cyborg made choking sounds, his feeble attempts to dislodge his opponent in vain.  
  
"Ziggy!" MOMO screamed. She started to run forward but a shadow rushed passed before she'd taken two steps.  
  
Like liquid chaos literally spiraled up Gesono's body, ending up in a position like he was kissing the back of his neck. Ziggy felt the hand loosen just enough for him to wriggle free. He backed away coughing, MOMO ran up to hold his hand. The room went very silent.  
  
chaos opened his eyes and slowly unwrapped his willowy body from around Gesono's. He faced the slightly trembling realian.  
  
"W—what did you do to me." Gesono managed to say. He didn't seem to be paralyzed.  
  
"I put a needle in your neck," chaos reached up to pull some of his blonde hair away from his neck to reveal the red ball head of a needle for everyone else to see, "it's called the Kiss of the Dragon. Not many people learned that art back then on old Earth. And even if you did manage to master it they kept a lot from you."  
  
"Spare me the history lesson. Why isn't my regeneration working?"  
  
"Oh it's working just fine Gesono,"  
  
Is a hint of sarcasm?  
  
"But what I just did you can't undo unless you can pull the needle out. Blood will rush up to your head, and it will not go back down." chaos began pointing, "You will begin bleeding out of your mouth, your nose, ears, even your eyes. Then, you will die." The silver haired youth walked passed the elite without another word. Shion, Jr., Ziggy and MOMO stared at Gesono for a minute. Then it began.  
  
Gesono coughed hard, spitting out hundreds of red droplets. Not long after this started, then streams of blood started pouring out of his nostrils. The realian jerked and stuttered, trying to move but the simple needle kept him in place.  
  
Ziggy picked up a wide eyed MOMO and ran passed the choking man. A shocked Jr. followed not a second later. Shion remained.  
  
She stared fearfully at Gesono. Jr. looked over his shoulder when he reached the next doorway, "S—Shion come on. Let's go." He disappeared around the corner. Gesono hacked violently. The Vector employee jumped back.  
  
The elite realian's entire face was completely doused in bright black red blood. Shion could take no more of it, she ran with all her might passed the dying man.  
  
"How could you give someone such a tortured death chaos! You would never do that!" Shion screamed angrily as she ran after the group. chaos didn't reply.  
  
Shion actually swore, "Don't you dare give me your silent treatment! I want an actual answer this time!" she planted her feet in front of chaos and glared deep into his eyes. The teen almost ran into her in his daze. He sighed impatiently, looked at his friend and said nothing.  
  
There was a booming sound and the entire base shook. Alarms howled through out the base.  
  
"The reactor was hit when I was fighting. I suggest we get moving."  
  
"What?! How was the reactor hit?" Jr. yelled.  
  
"Let's just say that I became slightly annoyed." chaos looked back at an appalled looking Shion, "You want to find Kos-mos right?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Don't question my actions then." The look in the youth's eyes made it seem like he wasn't the chaos they all knew. It was like a whole different person had taken over.  
  
Yotomi calmly finished inserting the two dozen wires on either side of Kos- mos' visor, "You sure are a stubborn robot. With even my best equipment I can't get passed your firewalls. Alas that is no problem, for now I'm downloading a program that you can't stop. All you can do is take it in." the crime lord pressed a few buttons and the blue haired android shuddered even more.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
Kos-mos snapped her head up straight. Her glaring sapphire eyes piercing Yotomi's heart, "You are not the key to 'me'! You are not the one who will open the door!"  
  
Waves of energy caused her long hair to whip wildly about. Terminals and power lines sparked and exploded. The android strained against her shackles until they literally tore in half.  
  
"T—his is impossible!" Yotomi stuttered while backing away from the advancing android.  
  
"You would be surprised at what programming I have stored away from even Shion Uzuki."  
  
The tinted glass along the wall next to the stairs suddenly shattered. Shion looked away briefly, feeling shards of glass pelt her body, "Let's go!" Shion, followed closely by the others raced up the stairs.  
  
"Kos-mos? Kos-mos are you in there?" Shion lifted her M.W.S. at the same time chaos lifted a glittering hand. Smoke billowed out as the locked door blew into several smoking pieces. Shion slammed on her breaks the instant she entered the room. As a result she got rammed into by Jr., MOMO, and then Ziggy. chaos managed to sidestep in time to avoid a sandwich collision.  
  
Kos-mos sat in the center of the room holding a Federation garbed, silver and purple haired realian. When they entered, the android's glassy eyes swept over them and settled on chaos.  
  
A little shocked by the scene splattered against the far wall, Jr. closed his mouth, "Whoa, what the heck happened here."  
  
Kos-mos gently lay a paralyzed Akita back on the floor and stood up. She began walking towards chaos, the snapped cords still attached dragging behind her. The android was actually smiling ever so slightly and tilting her head.  
  
"Are you the key to 'me'?" she reached up and held his face, "Are you going to help Kos-mos become the person she can become?"  
  
Shion was absolutely flabbergasted at the scene.  
  
chaos' eyes remained as aloof as Kos-mos'. Without warning, he curled his fingers into sparking fists and uppercutted the android in the gut with his Electro Upper. Shion gasped.  
  
Kos-mos landed right next to Akita. She twitched, her red eyes closed, "Shutting down."  
  
The crew didn't have time to gawk. The base shook violently as another explosion from the damaged reactor. Jr. grabbed MOMO's wrist and hauled her out of the maintenance room. Ziggy picked up Kos-mos and dashed after them.  
  
Everyone oblivious to the fact that chaos wasn't there anymore.  
  
"Wait! Don't leave me!" Akita yelled.  
  
Shion skidded to a halt and looked back. She hesitated, "Are you paralyzed or something?"  
  
"Yes. Please, I'll do anything."  
  
Having no time to debate, Shion gave her an antidote and threw the realian's arm over her shoulder and began to hurriedly drag her out of the base. The antidote worked fast, and soon Akita was moving again.  
  
Explosions were going on everywhere. Chunks of the ceiling began falling all over, fires started from bursting power lines.  
  
"Gosh what did chaos do!" Shion said to herself when she and Akita passed a huge hole in the center of the room where chaos had started acting weird.  
  
MOMO and Akita jumped through the shield into the door of the Elsa that was just meeting hanger doorway. Jr. and the others climbed into their A.G.W.S.'s and waited for the Elsa to move from their exit.  
  
The observational realian, and the research and navigations realian hooked up to the main computer on the bridge. The Elsa shot away from the asteroid; followed closely by the three A.G.W.S. Akita heard the thud of heavy machine footsteps and turned to see a huge bulky battle droid pointing its gun at her.  
  
MOMO whipped around and held up her hand, "Stop!"  
  
It obeyed.  
  
She turned her attention back to driving.  
  
"Opening hanger bay doors." Akita announced. A few minutes later the status popped into her neural net, "All three A.G.W.S. present and accounted for. Shutting doors."  
  
"We're not out of the danger zone yet." MOMO unbuckled an unconscious Tony and took his seat, "How long before shock wave hits us?" the cargo ship dipped in time to avoid a collision.  
  
"Approximately twenty seconds if you don't pull some fancy trick real soon."  
  
The Elsa vibrated. Its laboring machinery could be heard through out its halls. MOMO felt sweat trickling down the side of her forehead as she tried to steer the ship through the ever thickening asteroids and maintain the speed to keep them ahead of the blast. She didn't think she could do it.  
  
"Come on girl you can do it. If you can get past pirate A.G.W.S. then this should be a cinch for you!" Akita encouraged. She held onto the edges of her terminal to keep from loosing her balance. MOMO's pale hands gripped the armrests of the pilot's seat, her mind straining.  
  
"Cleared the shockwave!" Akita announced. MOMO relaxed her fingers, realizing that they now hurt. She slowed the propulsion of the ship down. The Elsa skimmed the topside of an asteroid.  
  
An alarm started sounding at Akita's terminal, "Uh oh. What damage had been done while the pirates were getting in?"  
  
MOMO put her hand over her mouth, "Oh no! The pirate ship that latched on to the catapult! It was ripped off just now!"  
  
Caught completely unaware, Jr. was jerked off his feet toward the widened doorway to the catapult. The U.R.T.V. had been going to see if MOMO and the others were ok, and now was hanging on the railing for dear life.  
  
Straining against the impossible rush of air, Jr.'s sweaty palms slipped.  
  
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"  
  
Jr. was dragged across the floor but managed to grab the corner just before he went flying into the catapult room. He looked up and was startled, yet relieved to see chaos. It was very strange because the youth was just standing there with his hands clasped loosely behind his back, his face as emotionless as ever. The pull of space just seeming like a strong breeze to him.  
  
Jr. screamed something, but the oxygen was being deprived of the room so only fragments of his voice could be heard. chaos just stood there and watched him struggle between life and the abyss. Eventually Jr. realized that his friend wasn't going to reach for him.  
  
Lacking air, he became lightheaded and dizzy. What looked like a tool suddenly bounced along the floor and cut him across the fingers. Jr. released his grip in surprise.  
  
Winning the battle, chaos leaped forth and landed on his stomach just in time to grab Jr's wrist. Using all his strength, chaos dragged him away from the doorway, threw him over his shoulder and dived into the next room. The door locked closed tight enough so that air couldn't get through. When MOMO ran into the hall she found Jr. alone and unconscious on the floor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
  
What a looser you Yotomi. Anyway, sorry bout the cliffe! But I must end it at this point now. Reivew please! 


	12. Review

Don't be fooled by the title of the chap! That's just what I call it!  
  
Chapter 12: Review  
  
MOMO, Akita, Jr. and the other crew had to remain in the front part of the ship while Shion, Alan, Ziggy and an inanimate Kos-mos remained at the rear. The two realians ran the entire Elsa while Hammer, Tony and the captain were out cold from the slightly poisonous sleeping grenade.  
  
They reached the closest Federation protected planet and received clearance to land, the Elsa was too badly damaged to be repaired by the orbiting space station. Everyone waited in tense silence as the ship's hull groaned and creaked on their way down to the surface of a planet known as Ushuarni 6.  
  
"Holding steady." Akita informed MOMO after a bad bump. The observational realian watched the ships angle carefully, the memory of when they were escaping Proto Murkabah suddenly fresh in her mind.  
  
They landed with almost no problems except that the hull around the hole in the catapult had split wider. Jr. knew Mathews wouldn't be happy about the expenses so he decided to pay for him. Eager to be on solid ground and also a little stir crazy from being cooped up so long, the crew of the Elsa decided it was time for a refresher break before moving on.  
  
Shion had managed to activate Kos-mos while they'd still been out in space, so once more she was up and running.  
  
Yet quiet.  
  
Usually during a conversation the blue haired android would always put her input. But instead she chose to just listen and this worried Shion.  
  
"Kos-mos are you malfunctioning anywhere? You seem pretty quiet."  
  
"No Shion I am not."  
  
"Well then what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing you need to concerned of right now."  
  
Shion was about to protest but Jr. interrupted her, "Hey Shion let's go find a hotel or something. The Elsa won't be fully repaired for a good week or two."  
  
"Well ok, come on Kos-mos." She glanced around, "Has anyone seen chaos?"  
  
"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him ever since he used his Electro Upper on Kos-mos." MOMO replied.  
  
"I saw him."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Jr. looked up, "When the pirate ship got knocked away I was on my way to the bridge remember? chaos saved me from being sucked into the hole. The only thing was, the pull of space didn't seem to affect him at all. He just stood there like he was deciding whether to save me or not."  
  
"That can't be. You were alone when I found you."  
  
"Was I? But—chaos was holding me when the door shut behind us."  
  
Shion looked behind them, "We'll talk about this later." chaos walked up behind them, his arms behind him like they usually were, "Hey guys, rough ride huh?"  
  
"chaos! Where have you been? We couldn't find you!" MOMO screeched.  
  
The silver haired youth shrugged, "I was sleeping in the cabin. Where else would I be?"  
  
"Sleeping in the cabins? Then how come you weren't there when we came in?"  
  
"MOMO quit sounding like you're accusing!" Shion scolded.  
  
chaos shrugged, "It's ok Shion. She wasn't accusing."  
  
"Let's hurry up and find somewhere to hang out. I saw on a map that there is a hotel somewhere nearby." Jr. started walking down the street followed by the crew. The sun's setting rays bled the sky with a molten red pink. A cool breeze rustled the nearby tree's leaves.  
  
After they got there rooms Shion decided to take a walk in the courtyard with Kos-mos and Alan. It was nice to have some peace and quiet after being in a space ship for more than three weeks. Even when all the big equipment was off there was always some noise humming all around. Shion knelt to sniff a strange looking purple flower.  
  
"So what do you think chief?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About how chaos acted at the pirate base?" Alan sat down on a nearby bench and watched his life long friend continue to examine Mother Nature's creations.  
  
She sighed, "I don't know. It just wasn't like him. chaos never made anything he killed suffer." She shuddered, the image of Gesono suddenly rising into her mind, "The look in his eyes made it seem like it wasn't the chaos we knew who was in control."  
  
"How is that possible Shion? There is only one soul in every body correct?" Kos-mos asked.  
  
Shion sat next Alan, "That's not exactly it Kos-mos, but it's close."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well I'm sure that there is another soul inside with chaos. More like a side of him we never knew."  
  
Alan looked at his boss, "True, chaos almost always answers questions with more questions. Or he smooth talks you without knowing it until it's too late. And he's never said anything about his past either, I doubt even the Captain knows where he's from or even how old he actually is."  
  
"Yes. He seems to know a lot more about many things than he lets on. Kos- mos? Do you ever notice anything odd about chaos?"  
  
Kos-mos reflected on the memory files when she'd first boarded the Elsa, "When I first encountered chaos I scanned him as my programming says I always should. Something was—and still is different about him. I scanned the other of the crew then scanned him again. I assumed my scanners were malfunctioning but up to today there is always something with chaos whenever I scan him."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I am unsure. I cannot calculate what it is exactly. Even after you fixed me I always receive the same result. There is something about chaos that we do not know."  
  
"Hmm," Alan looked into the setting sun, "Chief do you remember when the Song of Nephilim was being played and besides the Gainuns, you could hear it?"  
  
"Ya, why?"  
  
"I remember Tony saying that when the attack happened that chaos gave an outburst."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Yep, he looked up from his terminal, slammed his fist down and yelled 'No! They can't let them play that song!'. Kind of strange don't you think?"  
  
"He never mentioned it when he came up to the Durandels bridge."  
  
Alan shrugged. Shion looked up at Kos-mos, and then gazed up at the elegant hanging flowers of a nearby tree. She reflected on all the events that chaos had been in. There were many hints all over that chaos new what was happening, or atleast had more knowledge of the situation than they did. He was always supporting them, always guiding them—somewhere. What was chaos' real purpose? Question after question rose in Shion's mind like bubbles in a soft drink until finally her head hurt from trying to fit together the complex puzzle. There were too many vital pieces missing, many that they'd completely hadn't been able to see and pick up. The hints just weren't enough, plus there was probably a lot happening when chaos wasn't around them.  
  
"Let's go inside. I'm getting tired."  
  
The trio walked side by side back to the ground level rooms. When Alan opened the door and entered, Shion noticed that Kos-mos wasn't beside her. She looked over her shoulder to see the android had stopped ten feet back, "Kos-mos?"  
  
"I will stay out here for a few minutes."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I will be right here. You go ahead Shion."  
  
Shion hesitated, "Oh...ok."  
  
The instant the Vector employee turned her back, Kos-mos leaped silently off the ground. She landed without a sound on a nearby streetlight. The android let one foot hang loosely pointing at the ground. Kos-mos stood there in the darkness with her eyes closed. At last she opened them and lifted her head to look up at the stars.  
  
All of a sudden she noticed that chaos stood with one foot on a streetlight two away. His back was turned on her, his hands behind him, his face tilted to the stars as well. chaos looked over his shoulder at Kos-mos. He smiled ever so slightly, then turned back.  
  
Silence was the only thing that passed between them. The silvery moon slowly worked its way across the sky to midnight. Still both had not moved. A strong breeze toyed with their hair and chilled the earth. Clouds floated swiftly over the dock city obscuring the stars and moon. chaos lifted one gloved hand.  
  
Thunder cracked, and a few seconds later rain poured down in rivulets. Water ran off of his upturned face, soaking his silver hair and clothes. He lifted his other arm and then lightning jutted madly across the sky.  
  
Coincidence, Kos-mos thought.  
  
But as she watched, the rain thickened till she couldn't see the nearby buildings. Violent wind caused the rain to spiral in an almost whirlpool. Kos-mos' long blue hair whipped about her slim body. In the distance there was a large boom and the all the power went out.  
  
chaos lifted straight up into the storm and vanished.  
  
Time to make the connection, he thought, his translucent blue eyes stared unblinkingly up, we're almost there.  
  
Sorry to take so long, I've been busy and writing my other stories! Review please! 


	13. Talks in the night

Chapter 13: Talks in the night  
  
MOMO tossed restlessly unable to get to sleep. The sudden storm in the night wasn't helping any either. The realian sat up, a little awkwardly since her legs and one arm was wrapped tightly to her body from being wrapped up in the blankets. She brought up her internal clock since the electricity seemed out, 12:32 A.M.. MOMO glanced across the room to where Akita's sleeping form. The older realian was very nice, a little rough around the edges but still good.  
  
Quietly so as not to wake her roommate, MOMO untangled herself then slipped out of bed, pulled on her shin high white boots, and left the room.  
  
Kos-mos' pod had been moved to the living room of their mini suite along with a few boxes of equipment that Shion had insisted on bringing. MOMO walked pass the pod then stopped when she heard the sound of water. She looked down to see she'd stepped into a small puddle of water.  
  
The realian looked around to see that someone must have walked in from the rain because the watery footsteps started at the door and ended right beside the pod. MOMO saw that the edge was a bit damp as well. She pressed a button, the hood hissed softly before opening.  
  
Kos-mos was quietly recharging inside, her eyes closed, and her body deadly still. The android's twilight sky blue hair was matted against her cold metal body, droplets of water still slipping down her slick polished surface.  
  
Was she outside? MOMO thought. The realian pondered this for only a few seconds before she shut the hood and headed into the hallway. Maybe I should check on chaos, I won't question him, but maybe he'd like some company. He said so himself he wasn't sleeping that much anymore anyway. MOMO walked briskly down the dark hallway. Strange, shouldn't there be emergency lights on?  
  
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Kos-mos found herself once more in the ruined city Miltia in the Encephalon, or her virtual subconscious. The android was confused at why she was able to be active when she was supposed to be shut down.  
  
"Questions you want answered?" a familiar yet not voice asked. Kos-mos looked up to see the other her sitting on the roof of a nearby building.  
  
"Yes, why am I able to be active when I'm not?" she asked her "twin".  
  
"When you are deactivated 'you' are not in the way of me to be able to come forth."  
  
"Could you explain that better?"  
  
The black and red armored Kos-mos rubbed her chin, "Well, let's see how should I put this. Uh...you are not yourself. I am the real you, the pulse that is hidden among all your logic and machinery. If chaos accomplishes what needs to be done, then I will be able to come out of this prison. You are the one that is preventing me, or yourself, to come out."  
  
Kos-mos blinked, still not understanding.  
  
"Kevin's want of you becoming real had one flaw in it: no matter what all your actions are based on your programming. No matter how much you unlock that program of yours, no matter how much you learn and act humanlike, or even how much gnosis you absorb, you will always just be running on that program of yours."  
  
"So no matter what I do to fulfill my mission it will fail?"  
  
The other nodded as she began to make a small braid in her long blue hair, "The one thing that an android can't control, the thing that makes her her, Is something that you can't control."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Your memories." Kos-mos dropped down from the roof, "Those are what make you, me. They are what make everyone unique."  
  
Kos-mos had more questions, "What does chaos have anything to do with—us?"  
  
She smiled, "He's what made me, your true self possible. But that possibility isn't enough, I am not yet strong enough to overthrow you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He will tell you what he did in time. And about the second part of my answer: The job is not finished. chaos needs to put two more units of existence inside to complete me. But he cannot do it himself anymore, he has already done some of his part."  
  
"His part?"  
  
"chaos is apart of you Kos-mos, apart of me." She started backing away as the scene of Old Miltia started smoothly turning grey, "We'll talk later if you wish." Everything went black.  
  
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Apparently chaos was outside too, MOMO thought when she shined her small flashlight on the wet floor in front of the youth's door. She stuck her fingers into the crack of the door and manually opened it.  
  
It was a single room but nice. The floor had a soft plush red carpet, a table with cushioned wooden chairs, a flat light that hung from the ceiling, a door that led to the bathroom in the corner, and in the opposite one was an unused bed looking out over the courtyard.  
  
MOMO walked over and shined the light into the bathroom cautiously, her footsteps not even heard because of the carpet. Puzzled, MOMO glanced around the room again afraid she'd missed him on the bed but he wasn't there. Nothing. She started back for the door and walked under the light.  
  
Drip.  
  
Startled, the realian brushed a drop of water from her face. MOMO looked up to see chaos laying on the light, it was big enough to do that, and chaos didn't seem to be all that heavy. When the realian took a step back to get a better look she realized that the carpet was squishing under her feet. Unable to reach him, MOMO pulled the table over and climbed onto it.  
  
Now that her face was atleast level (after piling a few big books to stand on), MOMO could see that chaos was asleep.  
  
"Uh chaos?"  
  
He didn't stir.  
  
"chaos?" she repeated a little louder, "Sorry to bother you, but why are you sleeping up here?" Once again he gave no indication that he heard her. Instead chaos carefully turned over. MOMO puffed her cheeks a little. Then dropped down.  
  
After a few minutes she popped back up facing chaos again, "chaos wake up!" she almost yelled. Good thing the walls were sound proof. Lightning flashed, followed by a crack of thunder. chaos turned onto his back, his left arm falling off the side and hanging limply. MOMO gave a quick scan of his body, then brought up the schematics of his body.  
  
The infection had spread to every portion of his body yet he seemed to be able to still defend against it. Right now it seemed to be running faster through his veins like a poison. His heart rate began to increase and his body temperature dropped sharply.  
  
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chaos called once again into the darkness and received no answer, "Crud where could they be? I hope she didn't add another side to this coin." He mumbled to himself. The youth was suspended in the air of a black void, this was the one place that he could reach them easiest. This was dreamland, a place where humans and other things could rest their minds. But they had no idea how to use it. chaos and his kind found dreamland the easiest way to communicate with eachother. He guessed he was on the 'most frequent user' list.  
  
A sign of movement caught his eye. chaos turned to see a figure grin at him before dashing away into the emptiness. Realizing whom it was, chaos shot after him.  
  
The silhouetted figure stopped and taunted chaos in a familiar voice. The silver haired youth reached out but snatched empty air instead. chaos flew upward vertically, trying to catch the elusive figure. After a long time of 'catch me if you can' there was a burst of sunset light around the figure.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" chaos shot forward and tackled the mirror image of himself. They rolled over several times before coming to a stop. The only difference between them was that the chaos that had been laughing at the other chaos and running from him, was that he had dazzling indescribable blue eyes that didn't have that faraway look that chaos did. The chaos with the translucent blue eyes lifted a gold sparking fist.  
  
Someone grabbed his wrist, preventing him from striking down. chaos looked over his shoulder to see Nephilim. Behind her stood two shadowy figures. She shook her head as the second chaos wriggled out from underneath him and joined the two figures, "Not now, and not yet." Nephilim let go of him and walked away to find her business, followed by the other chaos and the silhouetted figures.  
  
The silence that gathered around chaos pressed strongly against his ears like water, "It's not fair." he mumbled.  
  
"Shouldn't you be worrying about more important things?" chaos turned around to face a huge mirror that had appeared out of nowhere, "Like your mission she gave you."  
  
"I know what I have to do."  
  
"Then why don't you do it? You're wasting your time chasing yourself, and I'm sensing you have feelings for that hunk a junk."  
  
chaos felt his cheeks flush, "Kos-mos is not a hunk of junk!"  
  
"Really?" the image walked forward with chaos who reached out and flattened his hands on the surface, "Then I guess they are of no importance. Why not just forget them? Let them become infested while you are having pleasure with your little android friend?"  
  
chaos suddenly felt the glass fade away and the person passed through, the surface of the glass rippling like water, "No, I'm not going to let that happen to them."  
  
"Then get it over with! Embrace the passion that she placed in you and be done with it!" the chaos that was dressed in black but the same clothes ordered severely. chaos couldn't bare to look into those sickly black green eyes, "No." he repeated.  
  
"And why not? You can only choose one over the other. Simple as that." the thing that resembled the infection inside of chaos kept their hands together. It may seem impossible by scientific terms but the poison inside of him had a core, and from there it was attempting to take over chaos completely.  
  
The core was inside his shoulder where she'd stabbed him. But once its job was finished, then that conciseness would cease to exist because he'd embraced the fervor.  
  
"Get out of me."  
  
The other laughed, "Sorry," he replied sarcastically, "no can do. Not until my job is done. You've kept me in stasis with that Teelaho long enough chaos. I was rather surprised to find that you had figured out an antidote for me." He leaned in close to chaos' ear, "Unlike them, you were very strong. But now your vigor is almost gone."  
  
"Liar! She would not do that to them!"  
  
The black chaos laughed again as he slipped backwards into the mirror, "She's making sure that you'll get the job done. Speaking of which, why don't we give a little spook to Shion eh?"  
  
"No!"  
  
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chaos' eyes snapped open without warning, causing MOMO to jump in fright and almost fall of her make shift ladder. Without acknowledging the realian, chaos rolled of the light. He'd barely even landed on his feet before he shot out of the room.  
  
Shion tossed and turned in her sleep as chaos began her nightmare. Inside her mind she was being freaked out by him and having to fight for her life. chaos knew he was doing it, but he couldn't stop himself. All he could do was run to the engineer's room. There was a muffled cry.  
  
The youth pried open the door to her room to find Nephilim sitting with Shion's head on her lap. She looked up at him. The Vector employee appeared to be at peace again. He blinked and the greenish wink in his eyes vanished. MOMO appeared beside chaos, she looked into the room but found nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"I'm sorry." Said chaos.  
  
Nephilim's emotionless expression didn't change, "You are stronger than this chaos. You shouldn't have let it get out this far."  
  
"Well maybe I can't help it anymore! This thing is taking over me!" chaos was on the verge of actually crying.  
  
"You should still be able to contain it." Nephilim's voice grew stern. chaos balled his hands into fists but showed no anger, just frustration.  
  
"chaos? What's the matter? Who are you talking to?" MOMO asked carefully. She had never seen him show emotions before. The youth ignored her, he just kept staring into Nephilim's unearthly green eyes.  
  
"Please chaos, keep it in check until you find them."  
  
"I don't think that matters anymore." At these words the sunset redhead seemed surprised. She looked at the floor, then shimmered into nothingness. There was silence for a few minutes.  
  
MOMO touched the young man cautiously, "I won't tell." chaos looked down her, his outward expression neutral, "I have hardly an idea what's going on. But a promise is a promise. Just don't forget yours k?" he didn't reply. Instead he walked out of the girls suite back to his own room. MOMO followed him, lightning flashes lighting the hallway. She found him sitting on his bed with his gloved hands holding up his head on his knees.  
  
chaos looked up into MOMO's bright amber eyes when she stood in front of him. He reached out, pulling the realian into a tight embrace. She returned it, ignoring the fact that his clothes were still very wet and his silver hair damp. MOMO let the semi-outcast of the friendship circle cry into her shoulder.  
  
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Hallelujah I updated! I'm not gonna be home almost all weekend and I was afraid I wouldn't update. But I just might get another chap before I leave on Saturday. Review please! 


	14. Unexpected, uninvited visitors

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!: Xenosaga II is not coming till early next year! What bums those Namco people are!!! Why don't they get faster translators American knowing Japanese are slowpokes!!! It was supposed to be out right now! And they changed how chaos Kos-mos, MOMO and Shion look! Ack! And they're not to my liking especially the way they changed chaos. Hopefully they'll change it back with all the complaints they're getting from everyone. Ok I'm done complaining now but that's just for now.  
  
Chapter 13: Unexpected, unwelcome visitors  
  
The next morning the storm had blown cooled its temper and settled to a miserable drizzle. MOMO sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Akita's bed was empty. In the next room she could hear people moving about.  
  
Hurriedly, the realian slipped on her boots and dragged herself into the living room. The electricity was back online so the doors opened automatically again.  
  
"Morning." MOMO mumbled, still rubbing her eyes somewhat.  
  
"Morning," Shion echoed, "Did that storm last night keep you up? It looks it." the engineer picked up a holo datapad. She didn't have any memory of what had occurred the night before.  
  
"For a little while." That was half true. MOMO glanced around, "Where's Allen and them?"  
  
"They are currently helping the dock engineers in repairing the Elsa." Akita stood up from where she'd been crouching by Kos-mos' service pod, "The error is fixed Shion, we can continue her maintenance check."  
  
"Ok, can you scan her systems for bugs? I know I've done it a dozen times Kos-mos but I just want to make sure." The high-tech engineer added before Kos-mos could object. Akita pulled the jac out and connected herself to the android.  
  
MOMO yawned, "Have you eaten anything Shion? Akita?"  
  
"We ate a half an hour ago. You go ahead and eat. Oh, and while you're at it go check on chaos. I think he's still asleep the bum." Shion joked. If there was one thing about chaos the only thing they could tease him about was his constant naps and sleeping in. MOMO tried to make her giggle as real as possible since she knew the real reason why he was sleeping.  
  
When the observational realian quietly stepped into the youth's room she found him lying down like he was dead to the world. The table was still where she'd left it last night. MOMO walked over, just watching his chest rise up and down rhythmically. This seemed to be the only peaceful sleep he'd had in a very long time, and she didn't want to disturb him.  
  
Even though he was still in his clothes, chaos seemed comfortable, relieved that he had some measure of peace from what ever was happening and whatever he had to do. MOMO leaned over and gently kissed him on the forehead. She brushed his messy strands of hair out of his face, adjusted his blankets, and then left. Right now he needed his rare bit of harmony.  
  
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As promised the Elsa was fully repaired and functional in two weeks. The crew grudgingly boarded and prepared for take off. chaos ran a check of all the ships systems to find only a few minor problems that he could fix from his terminal. He knew that the crew that was on the bridge were giving him looks when they thought he wasn't paying attention.  
  
"All systems go Captain."  
  
"Good. Let's get this trip over with." Matthews said, "Tony, take her away."  
  
"Can do cap."  
  
Akita sat in Hammer's chair, her jac hooked up to the terminal. The other navigator was fidgety around her and blushed a lot ever since he opened his eyes and found her sitting next to him keeping watch. Obvious signs you know. But he seemed to be getting a hold of hiding them, except for if she touched him on the shoulder or something.  
  
"Hammer? Where is that moron?" Matthews leaned over the side of his chair to see if the navigator was there.  
  
The doors hissed open, "Sorry I'm late captain!" he slammed on his breaks when he realized who was sitting in his seat, "Oh, hi Akita. You're staying with us?"  
  
"Shion was trustful enough to inform me of your mission, and I wish to help. It would help me make up for all the bad I've used my abilities for the past many years."  
  
"Makes it easier on your conscious eh? Ok, but I can handle the navigations fine."  
  
Akita's crystalline grey eyes narrowed, "You do not understand. I wish to help."  
  
Hammer held up his hands to show he meant no harm, "Hey! Ok ok! You can be the navigator."  
  
chaos allowed a small chuckle, "Looks like the girls are taking charge of this ship." The captain and chaos laughed at Hammer. Tony managed to suppress his to a few snorts. He had no grudge against MOMO. Especially after she saved their butts with her fancy driving. The blonde pilot had told the realian that if she ever wanted he'd let her drive.  
  
"Cargo ship Elsa you are cleared for take off." a female voice said through the speakers.  
  
"That's our cue." Tony eased the controls forward as the ascended along a short runway out of the hanger they were docked in. The Elsa gave a big jolt as its huge wings caught a gust of air. Its thrusters fired up and held steady. Shion, Kos-mos, Allen, MOMO, Ziggy and Jr. entered the bridge.  
  
Jr. sighed, putting his hands on his hips, "Here we go again. Round two."  
  
"You aren't tired of this adventure yet are you?" MOMO asked from where she was looking over Akita's shoulder.  
  
"No. Just mentally." He put his hand against the side of his head, "My computer hurts from thinking." Thinking about our discussion we had about chaos. When the silver haired youth had gone out for a walk with MOMO following him at his request, they'd had a discussion of the recent events concerning him.  
  
"Exiting Ushuarni 6's atmosphere." A robotic voice informed.  
  
"Everything holding steady?" Matthews asked.  
  
"Steady as an iron will sir." chaos replied.  
  
"Good."  
  
Jr. looked up at the flame enveloped window. Eventually the heat vanished and all they could see was clear starry space. The U.R.T.V. squinted at something.  
  
"What's that?" he pointed to an approaching machine. It looked like an A.G.W.S. only it continued to get bigger, and bigger.  
  
"What 'is' that?" Shion echoed with emphasis. Everyone was silent, watching the craft.  
  
To his horror, Jr. felt the jolt of a familiar presence inside of his mind. They had faced the giant A.G.W.S. before on the Song of Nephilim. A figure clad in a strange black purple garb stood on the shoulder 'out in space' beside the cockpit.  
  
"It's Albedo!" Jr. shouted.  
  
"What?!"  
  
The communications line suddenly came active, signaling that the taller, darker half of Jr. wanted to talk to them.  
  
"What the heck is he doing here? Call up the authorities from the space station captain."  
  
"You've got it Little Master."  
  
"Wait!" Everyone turned to chaos, "Open the channel."  
  
"You've got to be kidding me chaos. Talk with that crazy madcap?!"  
  
MOMO hid halfway behind Ziggy.  
  
"Just open the channel," chaos said in a softer tone, "I know why he and Virgil are here."  
  
Shion gasped, "Virgil? You can't mean Captain Virgil? Kos-mos killed him. Right Kos-mos?" the Vector employee turned to the android as if for reassurance.  
  
"Affirmative. Captain Virgil of the Woglinde Defense Team was eliminated by me in order to protect you."  
  
chaos wanted to flinch. It hurt him to hear Kos-mos admit things like that with no feelings or second thoughts at what she'd done. Even though it didn't really matter since she hadn't really killed Virgil, it was an act after all.  
  
Jr. gave a grunt, then signaled Matthews, "What do you want Albedo."  
  
Albedo was cackling when his face popped up on the screen, "Is that the hello I get after all this time Rubedo? So rude you can be sometimes." MOMO hid a little more behind her guardian.  
  
"Cut the minute talk and tell us what you want."  
  
"Ah, straight to the point eh? Well first I think someone wants to come aboard for awhile."  
  
Without anybody noticing, the purple robed figure had floated the distance to the ship in no time flat. He landed on the nose of the ship and walked up to the window screen. Then passed right through it. Everyone except chaos gasped. The youth just stood up and placed his hands on his hips. Virgil removed his odd mask to finalize that he was still alive to Shion, Alan and Kos-mos. His scarred glaring face had hardly changed.  
  
He walked slowly passed everyone, his eyes on chaos. Virgil stopped beside him. chaos showed no signs of emotion toward the man that they'd faced in battle after defeating Albedo's A.G.W.S. Virgil nodded once before he continued to walk, then the doors shut behind him.  
  
"What--?"  
  
"A little loss for words are we?" Albedo laughed, "That's all right. Now, to get to the point before Rubedo looses his temper. We are here not because of what we want, but what you want."  
  
"And that would be?"  
  
Albedo chuckled that annoying laugh again, "You still haven't told them yet? Oh naughty naughty. Well, you are traveling to the gnosis homeworld correct?" he gave them that unfortunately familiar leer.  
  
"How'd you know?" Jr. didn't know why the white haired freak had asked the question, but he really wanted to know how his dark half knew about their trip.  
  
"Questions questions. That's all the universe is, is questions."  
  
"Nock it off Albedo!" Jr. yelled.  
  
"I'm going to have to tag along for awhile alright? The only way to get to that homeworld is by using me."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Albedo laughed again, "I'm the key to the place you seek. Without me, you can't get in there."  
  
"How's that possible?"  
  
The white haired lunatic raised an eyebrow, "You haven't figured it out yet?" he mock gasped, "Rubedo you are so slow. Hehehe. Do you even know where you are headed? No? Thought so, you've been too busy musing that you are going to the homeworld to recognize where that star map is leading you too. And you've seen it before."  
  
Jr. clenched his hands into fists. What the heck was Albedo talking about? He was the key to this homeworld and that we've seen this part of the map before? Then it hit Jr., they'd seen it in the giant 3-d star map room on MOMO's birthplace the Proto Murkabah.  
  
His face turning a very light but discernable shade of red, Jr. turned to Shion and the others, "What should we do? How can we trust that he isn't going to pull a fast one."  
  
"Trust him Rubedo. He is, after all, you."  
  
The U.R.T.V. froze. Was that just chaos that called him by his real name?  
  
Now releasing a bit of his pent up anger, Jr. whipped around and stomped right up to the silver haired teen, "chaos." He said in a low menacing tone, "Give me an answer and maybe I'll consider it." he emphasized the word answer.  
  
chaos wasn't threatened by the redheads threat. He couldn't figure out an excuse to slide through it so he told the absolute truth, "Because I am the one who called him here."  
  
Dead silence.  
  
"What?!" Everyone screamed at once.  
  
"Are you insane chaos? What'd you do that for?!" Allen yelled.  
  
chaos remained lucid, "We do require Albedo. Whether you like it or not we do."  
  
"And what about—Virgil." Shion stuttered, looking over at the closed bridge doors like they were going to come alive and attack any moment. She was still having a terrible time believing that the freak that had just passed through the window was Captain Virgil. He'd been killed in front of her very eyes and left to burn along with the Woglinde. How could he be back?  
  
"Are we going to accept Albedo's help or not?" chaos' gaze at Jr. emotionless but piercing, "It's up to you." Jr. turned away and started pacing rapidly.  
  
After a few minutes Albedo yawned loudly, "Come now Rubedo I know your mind works faster than that."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Albedo looked bored at the other's outburst. Jr. looked at each and everybody on the bridge until his eyes met MOMO's. Obviously she was downright terrified of Albedo. Jr. didn't blame her, after what Albedo tortured and used her for. He would be disturbed as well.  
  
He took in a deep breath, "Alright you can come," he said reluctantly, "But you will stay a good distance away from this ship and everyone on it understand!" it wasn't really a question.  
  
Albedo did a mock salute, "Yes Rubedo. Clear as crystal." He snickered, "Although crystal can sometimes be cloudy." He laughed AGAIN, "Let's make this quick boss." The screen went blank.  
  
Kos-mos calculated where the madman's eyes had been looking. And yes it matched as before.  
  
Albedo had been looking at chaos when he'd said that, just like he had done on the Song of Nephilim without anyone knowing because they'd been so upset at the time.  
  
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Tralalalalalalalalala I hate Albedo he's really annoying. Especially that laugh of his! Uugh! starts beating up Albedo stops Oh, ya, the cliffe. Um, guess you'll just have to wait. You won't get an update till after the weapons seminar I go to on Saturday and Sunday. On your way out of my fic be sure to review please! 


	15. More Conversations

Chapter 15: More Conversations  
  
Nobody was happy to have Albedo tagging along with them and they plainly showed it.  
  
"Ok, why do we need that lunatic again?" Jr. asked with a sarcastic tone, his glaring eyes glancing toward chaos.  
  
"Like he said: he's the key to the homeworld." chaos replied coolly.  
  
"But 'how'!"  
  
"Would you like a place like that to be opened by other's on accident and then never return?"  
  
"What? Stop with the answering our questions with more questions or avoiding the answer chaos!" Everyone agreed with the U.R.T.V., it was time to stop.  
  
chaos flicked a switch and his consol lit up with green, indicating the computer had taken over, "You have all the answers to your questions in that conversation. Just don't let your emotions block out the key facts." He started for the doors without another word. The crew stared after the youth. Tony shook his head and started punching in some coordinates on his keypad. After a few minutes the next column gate burst open like a backwards fire colored whirlpool, the Elsa vibrated softly as it passed through into hyperspace.  
  
"The key to the gnosis homeworld." Shion mumbled to herself, "And we've seen that part of the map before? Jr., did you know about this?"  
  
He shook his head, "No. After I separated myself from the others Albedo just sort of...disappeared. I thought he was gone until not long after when I felt his presence once. Then I knew he was still alive. It's not like he informs me of anything he does." Jr. ran a pale hand through his bright red hair.  
  
Shion shivered a bit and rubbed her arms like she was cold, "And what about Virgil? I can't believe that's him."  
  
"Me neither chief." Allen placed a hand on her shoulder. His face was lined with trouble.  
  
"It troubles me that someone we all trusted so strongly has taken this turn of event." Ziggy's voice was deep and emotionless.  
  
"Ya," Jr. agreed, "it makes me wonder even more about him. Always it seemed like he knew something or more of everything we are all going through. I've always wondered about that, and now my suspicions are correct. I wanna know more about chaos."  
  
"That would be violating his secrets." Kos-mos interjected, "Some things are best left unsaid."  
  
"But Kos-mos, what if whatever chaos knows could save all of humanity? Or, atleast help or whatever he has!" Shion was getting a tiny bit confused.  
  
"MOMO has the Y-Data does she not? That alone can save or destroy your race. And even though Albedo has forcefully copied it, he cannot unlock the firewalls to reach it."  
  
Shion stared at the android, "How do you know that?" a hint of suspicion was in her throat. Kos-mos turned her lifeless red eyes toward the engineer, "You and I are helping."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Kos-mos turned and walked away, "I must retire to my service pod to recharge." MOMO, who hadn't said a thing through the whole conversation, jumped away from her guardian and quickly followed the android.  
  
Shion sighed in exasperation, "Why is everyone acting so weird suddenly?! What the heck is going on!"  
  
"That's what I'd like to know." Allen replied unnecessarily, "It's just like chaos. There are too many missing pieces."  
  
"No and yes." Jr. said thoughtfully, "We have many already but they won't fit unless we find the others."  
  
"That's what I meant."  
  
Jr. rubbed his face, "Here Matthews," he tossed the small black box that contained the star map pearl, "Take care of that." he left. Followed closely by Ziggy, then after a few minutes Allen.  
  
Shion remained. She stared up into the screen where the fiery tunnel stretched on. She and Kos-mos where helping defend the Y-Data? But how? Albedo was the key to the homeworld, chaos is acting strange and seeming to know what was going on, Kos-mos was acting stranger than normal, even MOMO was started to act odd. She recalled what Jr. had said when he'd almost been sucked into the damaged catapult. The Vector employee tried to piece together every tidbit of information she could remember about chaos. But it was like trying to put together chunks of ice in boiling water. Any of them that connected were not able to connect to the others. For the thousandth time they were right, there was just too many missing facts. Sighing heavily, Shion left the bridge as well.  
  
"You have secrets too huh?" MOMO asked unnecessarily as she followed the android to the lower level. The other didn't answer.  
  
"Would it be ok if I tell you something?" So I'll go back on my promise a little, it wouldn't hurt if it were with Kos-mos.  
  
"If is of any importance to me, yes. Other than that, no."  
  
MOMO wondered if it 'was' important to the android, "chaos is sick."  
  
Kos-mos stopped and faced the realian, "What do you mean?"  
  
"He's sick." MOMO repeated, "he says he won't make it eventually. And he won't let me tell anyone so they can help, he say's it doesn't matter. His infection doesn't seem to be any known one, and it seems to be getting worse." she hesitated before going further, "On Ushuarni 6 something weird happened."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know, but it seemed to be about Shion or something like that. But I promised not to tell anyone even though I had no idea what was going on."  
  
"What happened to Shion?"  
  
The observational realian shook her head, "It was something bad, that's all I know. You'd have to ask chaos."  
  
Kos-mos nodded, "I shall keep this information contained. Should anything further happen you relay it to me is that understood?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The blue haired android turned away and walked into the elevator. The glass and metal doors shut just as she started to go down. MOMO felt better for telling someone that would know what to do hopefully. She was tired of carrying the burden of chaos under her shoulders by herself anymore.  
  
chaos entered the boys cabin where he found Virgil looking through most recently updated files of his infection. The youth stopped not too far away and crossed his arms.  
  
Virgil shook his head, "Nothing can be done?"  
  
"Nothing. I can't eliminate it anymore. Sooner or later it's going to take me." Virgil placed the datapad he'd been reading back in the box and snapped it shut, "Why didn't they concoct a back up?"  
  
"There is no back up and you know it. Not for that slime ball's poison that did this." chaos felt pain clutch his throat as he recalled that moment when he'd received the sickness. It had been the most dreadful moment of his life.  
  
The black purple robed man stepped in front of the other, "What about them? I haven't had anything from Nephilim so I'm not up to date. Business you know."  
  
chaos stared at the carpet.  
  
"I see." Virgil turned away, "So she's taken them?"  
  
"No!" chaos snapped, "I refuse to believe that! We made a deal!"  
  
"A deal that she could easily go back on." Virgil placed his gloved hands on chaos' shoulders, "You have to be strong. Keep from being taken until you are able to use the Original on her."  
  
"I can't," the youth began to tremble, "I need them to complete the power or else it won't work."  
  
"That doesn't mean you can't damage her mortally. And with that android there, I doubt she would survive." Virgil thought a moment, "What does her X-Buster do?"  
  
chaos tried to calm down by answering, "It absorbs the gnosis for the energy and special minerals that Kevin thought would make it possible for her to live. Or damages multiples of them."  
  
"Perhaps 'that' can eliminate the infection."  
  
"How?"  
  
Virgil shrugged, "I'm not sure, but it just might. Perhaps it can draw the infection from your body. And considering what you are I doubt it would damage you." The scarred face man jerked his head as if he were listening to something, "I'll be with Albedo. Just in case for them why don't you ready this to be found later?" Virgil started backing away and faded into the wall.  
  
A few minutes later Ziggy walked in. He stopped when he sensed something was different. The cyborg looked about the room but nothing was out of place. Yet his scanners told him something otherwise. Ziggy glanced around again and eventually the words he was reading in front of his eyes read: ERROR Systems Check Suggested.  
  
Confused and disturbed since he had just had a check up before they left the planet, Ziggy went over to the desk to collect Allen's datapads that he'd forgotten. He stopped at the door to look over his shoulder at the empty cabin.  
  
The top most office in the headquarters of Vector Industries was, as usual, quiet. Almost the entire dome shaped room was specially glass so that the glittering stars could surround one. The lights were off and the only glow in the small room was a pale green one from the desk terminal. A silhouetted figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back and staring up at the constellations. His pale blonde bangs fell over his distant thick amber colored eyes. The silence that in the office seemed so solid it would break your eardrums. Nothing stirred. Then without there was a tiny scraping noise cut the dead silence.  
  
Wilhelm moved for the first time to look over his shoulder at the Fate Compass that sat on the far side of his desk. It had hardly moved in the months after chaos had given Kos-mos the slightest possibility for her to become alive and had saved all of them from dying too soon. At that moment all of the gimbals (arms) had spun out of control as everyone's fate had changed. Now a piece that had a simple triangle with two aligning vertical lines and a circle in the center spun one way then the other, then settled back on its silent course. A few of the other gimbals adjusted, rubbing against eachother and then continuing along their axis.  
  
This gyroscope wasn't any ordinary one that one might find. Many of the gimbals were bent in odd angles or were too far away and laden down with odd little shapes and symbols. Many loose pieces floated freely along with a gimbal, out on their own, or close to the center. Wilhelm looked back up at the stars, the thick silence returning once more.  
  
'Looks like our little Silk Wing is wavering.'  
  
Wilhelm's thought, even though inside his mind, seem to explode within the silent room.  
  
'So it would seem.' Nephilim mentally replied as she stared at the Compass. 'You already know about the others.'  
  
'Yes I know.' He replied. Even though the child image woman was behind him, her reflection did not appear in the glass like it should have. In fact anyone that might have walked in would have not seen Nephilim unless she chose so. The Guardian did not have a body like the rest of them did; it was trapped in a different world.  
  
'He should have expected that might've happened. Now his concentration is faltering badly since he is refusing to realize what had just happened.'  
  
Nephilim's eyes fell to the stone triangle that was quietly suspended in the air. 'Do you think we'll have a chance? The wave of fate is turning toward her favor. The crew of the Elsa is leading our only and bad conditioned hope toward death, plus taking the Y-Data to her, the only weapon that the humans can really start to rely on, the key, and soon after they reach the homeworld Gainun Kukai will bring the rest of the Zohars to her.' she blinked. 'All are going straight into her arms. And once those Zohars are completed once again, there's no gathering what's left of our forces together in time to stop her.'  
  
'I know Nephilim.' Wilhelm replied without looking. 'Once the Original is completed again and the other Zohars brought to them, there's no stopping her. Atleast not in this plain.' His voice held no emotion, just a calm coolness.  
  
'Then what must we do?'  
  
'Trust Silver Wing and his friends.' The chairman of Vector Industries finally turned his head so that he could look at the sunset haired Guardian. 'Trust that his friends are strong. Be there for them though.' Once again Wilhelm turned away. Nephilim nodded, then looked at the silhouetted figures standing on either side of her. One was chaos.  
  
Although deep within his sparkling, happy blue eyes there was an emptiness that could not be filled. Just like the one on the Elsa, he'd never be completed.  
  
MOMO stood on one of the cushioned booth seats in the restaurant, her hands on the window, the glass warmed by the energy of the column tunnel. Her bright amber eyes were looking at the giant A.G.W.S. that was traveling beside the cargo ship. It had been a few days since Albedo had joined them. Strangely enough, MOMO didn't feel scared of him anymore. Why was that?  
  
The only light that lit the airy room was the fiery glow from the walls of the column tunnel. Once again the realian found herself unable to sleep. She'd checked on chaos just in case but he hadn't been in his bed, but she hadn't gone searching for the youth. This time her feelings told her he wanted to be alone. MOMO's eyes strayed to the dark figure sitting on the shoulder of the A.G.W.S., his cloak snapping with the waves of energy like it was wind.  
  
He's not so bad I guess. MOMO thought, he's just not in the head. She scrunched her nose. Ya, considering he's Jr.'s dark side.  
  
Something streaked by in a blur, leaving a silver light trailing behind. MOMO blinked, wondering if she'd been imagining it. When she opened her eyes again, the streak of liquid silver just vanished. Very curious, MOMO jumped off the booth seat and ran out of the mess hall, her white boots hardly making a thud as she sprinted swiftly to the empty bridge. All of the systems were on autopilot and the lights were off so it was dark. At first all she could see through the huge glass shields was the tunnel. Then, with a spark of hot white light something appeared from behind. At first MOMO didn't want to believe it, but was and there was no denying it.  
  
Flying outside of the ship with white glowing angelic wings sprung out of his back was chaos. The youth beat his wings and he spun around a few times then he sped forward again. MOMO's mouth hung open as she stared at her friend glide smoothly a hundred feet above the bridge. He didn't notice her.  
  
chaos stretched his wings out then continued to do aerial tricks. It felt good to fly once again. Oh sure he got to fly briefly when he was using his Angel Blow attack but that wasn't like the free flying where he could do anything he wanted. Inside the bridge MOMO didn't realize Kos-mos had came up from behind. The android looked up at chaos, her sight first zooming in on his partially turned away face then back.  
  
The two robotic beings watched the silver haired youth continue to enjoy his lost freedom. chaos leveled out again, he reached out his arms in front of him and started spinning faster and faster looking like an ice skater. He pulled his blurred arms down, up, and then to his chest. At that instant his whole body erupted in blinding white light and he shot down the tunnel and out of sight.  
  
MOMO gasped, but Kos-mos put her metallic hand on her shoulder. The realian was surprised by this action but was in too much shock to react.  
  
Abruptly Virgil landed on the nose of the ship far ahead of the two spectators. He squinted slightly as he watched chaos pass several gnosis traveling inside the column and killed them with the shockwaves that left his completely white body in whirling flurries. chaos slowly stopped spinning and settled down to waiting for the Elsa and Albedo to catch up.  
  
When they did, he landed softly on the nose of the ship. He folded his angelic wings, remaining perfectly balanced. Virgil, who had backed up to let chaos onto his chosen perch, placed a hand on his shoulder from behind. Then with a slight bending of his knees Virgil left the youth to his thoughts. chaos remained where he was for a long time. MOMO wondered whether or not he was going to move at all.  
  
chaos felt his body begin to go limp and he started to stand like he was a rag doll. A greenish haze started creeping all across his glazed translucent blue eyes, beginning to make them completely green.  
  
'chaos!' Virgil's harsh mental voice cut through the youth's mind like a butcher's knife. chaos flinched, buckled over then vanished. MOMO turned and ran out of the bridge using her motion sensors to find where he'd gone, Kos-mos shot past the realian, grabbing her wrist so that the other could keep up. Barely.  
  
"There is movement in the A.G.W.S. hanger." She informed in her monotone voice. When the two reached the lower level, Kos-mos kept her grip firm on MOMO's wrist as she ran through the dark ship to the back. Being sure to avoid the hall where Ziggy slept in his maintenance chair.  
  
They found a wingless chaos lying sprawled across the floor behind his A.G.W.S. Fragments of the shattered needle he'd dropped when passing out. MOMO rushed over, sat down and gently rested chaos' head in her lap. His face was a lot paler than usual.  
  
A soft moan escaped his parched throat, "It's becoming useless. I'm only just able to keep my mind." he didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular except perhaps himself. chaos continued.  
  
"We're going to the place everyone seeks, yet most do not for fear of death, or they are to oblivious to the fact that there is one."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Kos-mos hushed the realian.  
  
"They all are one. Soon all will be one once we're there. I shall be reunited...all the pieces will fit..." his glazed eyes rolled back a little as he took in a ragged breath, "the Compass will be set, the Zohars in place....." he seemed to notice Kos-mos. chaos gave her a mad man's stare, "And all shall be trapped." Nobody moved for a moment. And then chaos seemed to realize something, "Secrets in the chest Kos-mos. Its treasures might help." The youth's eyes rolled back but this time his eyelids closed, sighing hoarsely, coughed for a few seconds then was still.  
  
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(wipes brow) Shew! Did most of that chap in one day! Should I wait for school to end to post the next chap? Hehehehe. Review please!! 


	16. Singing?

RTR's: Dark Hawk Wings: Really? Why?  
  
Chapter 16: Singing?  
  
chaos wanted to cry out for help but it was like someone was holding his mouth shut. The infection was getting to its goal, so close it was to achieving that horrid goal. For that time when chaos would be plunged into eternal darkness would surely come before they reached the Core of the homeworld. But perhaps maybe, just maybe he could hold out in time to use the Original to damage her. A wave of pain interrupted his thoughts.  
  
Then again maybe not.  
  
Feeling drained of all he had, chaos rolled out of bed in an attempt to go to the bridge but his legs shook madly, threatening to collapse. Grunting in frustration, chaos sat back down. The other's had left awhile ago to go about their work, leaving him to sleep in. Luckily he'd been facing the wall or else they might have seen that chaos was in stress. Perhaps it would be better just to avoid everyone as much as possible, even if it meant resorting to his powers. He trusted MOMO and Kos-mos to keep his secret of what they saw, but on the other hand, chaos was a little upset that MOMO had backtracked on her promise.  
  
"Oh well." chaos mumbled while rubbing the sleep from his face, "Atleast it was with Kos-mos and not anyone else." Once again the youth attempted to stand this time succeeding. He trudged to the restaurant that to his relief he found empty.  
  
They had entered normal space a few hours ago and were now traveling through uninhabited space. There were plenty of beautiful habitable planets, none of them occupied by human beings. For one thing, the Elsa was about to enter the last gate jump. For another, constant scores of roaming gnosis patrolled the edge of the unexplored space that they were headed for. chaos was surprised that any of the crew that had entered Proto Murkabah even recognized that little bit of the star map that matched exactly that point they'd seen.  
  
chaos stared up at the many planets they were passing. Strange, he didn't sense hardly any gnosis around, and this border should be crawling with them.  
  
The intercom crackled, "Everyone report to the bridge." Matthews commanded.  
  
So much for avoiding, "Oh well, Tony will need my help in navigating this next tunnel."  
  
chaos was the last to arrive. He received worried glances from everyone, but before any could ask what was wrong Albedo's voice came through the communications line, "So this is it. It's been awhile since I've been here."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Jr. asked with no emotion.  
  
"I come here every so often to be sure none of the main force is gathering. But it seems that they've already started."  
  
Hammer looked up from his console, "Captain, Akita and I can't seem to open up the gate! It's like someone's blocked it or something."  
  
"Affirmative." Akita agreed, "The energies around the gate jump have been wound together in a complicated pattern that I can't decode."  
  
"That's why we need Albedo." chaos said quietly as he walked up next to the pilot's seat, "Albedo? Unlock the gate."  
  
"Are you sure boss? In your condition you should reconsider going into that place."  
  
chaos ignored the strange looks he could feel delving into him from behind, "I have you and Virgil to keep me in line and stay focused. Just do that long enough before I go. Unlock it now!" his voice turned harsh as if in desperation. It made Shion flinch.  
  
In the side windows they saw a flash of light from the cockpit of the giant AGWS. The space in front of them started blinking rapidly, then started expanding into a giant opposite flowing whirlpool of red, black, and orange energies.  
  
"Those aren't the colors of a column."  
  
"Affirmative. Scanners indicate that this column jump is unregistered, unstable, and could result in disaster should we enter." Said Akita.  
  
"You won't have a choice." Albedo's voice sounded, "Once this opens, it'll take any that is near it."  
  
Just as Albedo finished his sentence, the Elsa vibrated and groaned with strain. Ribbons of smooth root like energy reached out of the gate and started encircling both vessels. The AGWS went in willingly but the cargo ship seemed to hesitate.  
  
"What's going on!" Matthew's yelled.  
  
Tony strained with the controls, "I can't hold our position captain! It's like we're not in control of the ship."  
  
"Let it pull us in." chaos said in that familiar monotone voice, standing calmly with his hands behind his back.  
  
"But chaos what if we can't gate back out! We'll be stuck there!"  
  
The youth placed a gloved hand on the pilot's slightly sweating shoulder, "Just let it pull us in Tony. Then be ready for the maneuvering of your life." Tony hesitated, then loosened his grip on the controls. Instantly the Elsa was jerked forward like it was a bag of seed fluffs instead of a forty-ton machine. Almost everyone was knocked to the floor; Akita and Allen gripped the edges of their terminals.  
  
Tony tightened his fingers on the joysticks once again and tried to maneuver through the complicated web of tunnel. The turns, dips, and ascends came up so fast the pilot's mind couldn't keep up. Tony began to panic. If they hit the wall then there was a chance they'd be disintegrated, or be lost permanently.  
  
"Focus Tony." chaos said in a stern voice.  
  
"I—I can't!"  
  
"Focus," he repeated, "Think not of the dangers that might happen. Only what you have to do."  
  
The pilot didn't respond.  
  
For a long time everyone was silent. No one moved except to adjust themselves on the trembling floor. The sounds that reached their ears was like a giant fire raging all around them. Perspiration beaded Tony's furrowed brow.  
  
Without warning several smooth orca like call split the air. Gremlins lined all sides of the ship, looking like they were having no trouble at all with the odd column tunnel. Tony lost his cool and yelled. The Elsa lurched dangerously.  
  
chaos glared at him, "Ignore them!"  
  
Fearing the dagger look that his friend gave him more than the gnosis outside Tony instantly regained his focus again.  
  
"Activating--."  
  
"No Kos-mos! Ignore them and they will ignore you. These gremlins are not here to attack us."  
  
"Then what are they here for?!" Shion asked in a harsh tone.  
  
"To escort us."  
  
The tunnels started leveling off more and more, the turns became less and less. The gremlins did not attempt to enter the ship, nor did they seem interested in it. They just seemed to be.... there. Shion suddenly heard something weird.  
  
"Does anyone hear what I hear?"  
  
"Hear what?" Allen asked.  
  
"Singing. Does anyone hear singing." Kos-mos answered before Shion could get the words out of her mouth. After a moment of intense listening everyone agreed that yes they did hear something. chaos did not say anything. He heard the voices all right, but it was the familiarity in them.  
  
'So the thing inside me was right Virgil?' he mind spoke, barely able to contain his tears.  
  
'Apparently so chaos. I'm sorry boy.'  
  
The lyrics began.  
-You are here alone again  
In your sweet insanity.  
All too calm to hide yourself from reality.  
Do you call it solitude? Do you call it liberty?  
When all the world turns away to leave you lonely.  
  
The fields are filled with desires  
All voices crying for freedom.  
But all in vain they will fade away.  
There's only you, to answer you forever.-  
  
There was a pause in the song and the air filled with a faint violin solo. chaos wanted to release the anger he felt bubbling inside of him, plus relinquish his fear. It was them, they could never resist the urge to put words to music no matter what kind even if it was to the Song of Nephilim.  
  
-In blinded mind you are singing  
A glorious hallelujah  
The distant flutter of angels  
They're all to far, too far to reach you.  
  
I am here alone again  
In my sweet serenity  
Hoping you will never find me in any place  
I will call it solitude  
When all my songs fade in vain  
Fly my voice, far away to eternity.  
  
The two female voices continued to sing as they faded from everyone's ears. The column tunnel did not toss and turn anymore. It was level, straight, and steady.  
  
"Welcome," chaos said as the end of the tunnel rushed up to meet the, "to Lost Jerusalem."  
  
Light pulled away from the ship and the homeworld of the gnosis was revealed.  
  
"HOLY CRAP THAT THING'S HUGE!!" Jr. screamed. The gremlins surrounding the ship peeled off to join lines of other gnosis that were gathering at a planet in the center of several other ones.  
  
The planet in the center was connected to the smaller planets by glimmering vein like strands almost like a web. The center planet looked to be a giant water droplet with a crystallized core that seemed to be the only source of light within the whole system of planets. To describe the size of the water like planet, let's compare the Elsa to the gnosis creature Cathedral Ship. Like the tip of a needlepoint right? Well the planet that was the center of Lost Jerusalem made the Cathedral Ship seem to not exist. Everyone, even Akita just stood and stared at the awesome sight. Waves upon waves of gnosis were gathering in endless streams into the center planet.  
  
Akita blinked and shook her head after what seemed like fifteen minutes, "Running diagnostics." At her voice all the others seemed to snap back to reality as well. chaos didn't seem to be fascinated, nor surprised at the homeworld.  
  
Jr. watched as the research and navigations realian furrowed her brow in confusion, "What is it Akita?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Something's up I can--."  
  
"No that's not what I am saying." Akita interrupted, "I'm not getting any readings. No gravity, no energy readings, not even if the air is breathable—if there is any air at all."  
  
"Akita is correct." Kos-mos walked up closer to the window, "I am also not receiving any information."  
  
"So we know nothing about it?" Ziggy asked unnecessarily.  
  
"Nothing except it's the homeworld. chaos how do you know this is Lost Jerusalem?"  
  
The silver haired youth didn't answer.  
  
"chaos?"  
  
"There's air."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Its statistics are very roughly that of earth. But I suggest we bring air masks in case we run into a place we shouldn't." he turned to leave but was stopped halfway by Shion.  
  
"You do not think that we are going in there. And how do you know this stuff? Have you been here before?" she crossed her arms and glared at him.  
  
"Everyone has knowledge about certain things." He looked back at the gnosis planet. Some of which I wish I could tell you, "There is no going back now."  
  
"What do you mean there's no going back!"  
  
"Sometimes when you open a door on the outside. You cannot open it from the inside."  
  
"But Albedo said he comes and goes here all the time!"  
  
The communications line cracked and Albedo's face appeared on the screen, "But that does not mean I can bring passengers back."  
  
"What?! You're leaving us here!" MOMO screamed in fear.  
  
The white haired man shook his head, "No my pesch. Me and Virgil still have to aid you."  
  
MOMO puffed her cheeks, "Don't call me that you madcap!"  
  
Jr. expected his dark side to cackle in amusement, but to his surprise he didn't. What he hadn't noticed before was that Albedo did not have that crazy look in his pale blue eyes. Instead it was replaced by—a sense of duty was best to describe it.  
  
"Prepare for landing captain." Matthews looked down at chaos like he was crazy, "What?! On the gnosis homeworld?? You've gotta be kidding me chaos! That thing doesn't even seem to have any hard surfaces at all. Just being here is death. Look at all those gnosis out there! There's more than even when that stupid ship the Song of Nephilim where around."  
  
"Looks can be deceiving."  
  
Matthews grew silent with indecision.  
  
"Speaking of the Song does anyone hear what I sort of hear?" Shion asked.  
  
"I hear it clear as a bell Shion." Jr. replied. He'd found it weird that a human could hear the Song but right now he didn't have time to contemplate it.  
  
"As do I, she is calling for all of her subjects." Albedo pitched in.  
  
chaos remained silent. He knew everyone knew that he could hear the Song as well. But they never asked him to admit it and he wasn't about to even though it seemed pointless at the moment.  
  
"Who's 'she' Albedo?" Ziggy asked.  
  
"You'll find out. I'm surprised you haven't told them of your conversation with chaos, Kos-mos. Why not tell the rest your theory eh?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Kos-mos turned to the chief engineer, "We must prepare Shion. This is one of my secret mission objectives that Kevin programmed to me: To destroy the gnosis if at all possible. Not just to protect the Vector employees and become a weapon to fight them off."  
  
Hammer stood up, "That one's almost not a surprise. So I'm guessing all of you will be going when we—if we land right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"What?"  
  
chaos walked to the exit, "Everyone is going including you, Tony, and the captain."  
  
"WHAT!!" all three yelled at once. chaos ignored their outbursts as the doors hissed closed behind him. Once this happened the silver haired youth clutched his left shoulder and doubled over in pain. He sidestepped until he ran into the wall for support. There he stood until the pain passed and he was able to leave the hallway.  
  
"What do you think Little Master?" Matthews finally asked.  
  
Jr. looked unsurely from the planet, to Shion, Ziggy and MOMO, Allen, and the rest of the crew. This was absolutely crazy! Crazy crazy CRAZY!!! It was just like someone had set this up. Why though? Who would want to lead them here?  
  
"Heck, what do we have to lose?"  
  
"A lot."  
  
Hammer groaned loudly.  
  
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Well, there ya have it folks. The next chap will be on sometime next week I'm not sure when though. Any questions out there? Probably not. Review please! Oh by the way that song is "The World" on .hackSIGN. 


	17. Unicorn Ride Into The Acid Droplet

RTR's: Dark Hawk Wings: Ya that's what I was asking. And ya, I have a knack for getting excited and update pretty fast. A lot of times, if I get an update on here on Wednesday or Thursday, be sure to check up Saturday cause I usually squeeze in an extra chap for the week. :D  
  
Sailorjj07: I am?  
  
Chapter 17: Unicorn Ride Into The Acid Droplet  
  
The Elsa was very quiet for the next day that they remained. None of the gnosis swarming around them in their hurry to get to the center planet bothered them, acting like they weren't even there. A lone figure stood looking at the center planet. Her bright green eyes tracing the giant veins that pulsed regularly like it was a living organism.  
  
"Musing?"  
  
Shion turned to the soft familiar voice of chaos who had walked right next to her without alerting her, "Ya."  
  
chaos looked up at the planet, "Sad to say, it is beautiful isn't it?"  
  
"Like an inner glowing raindrop." Shion smiled, "I never something of the gnosis could be that exquisite. I've always found them as ugly and twisted."  
  
"Everything has beauty. It's just sometimes not able to be seen on the surface."  
  
The Vector employee nodded in agreement, "Yes that is true, it's just hard to imagine gnosis have even emotion. They just show up and destroy everything and everyone, with no purpose. Yet ever since that day when Kos- mos first activated and the gnosis stole the Zohar from the Woglinde. All those random attacks seemed to make sense to me. They were searching for the Zohars. But why? What's so special about them?"  
  
chaos shrugged, "Don't know. Maybe it's to increase their power?"  
  
"How though? From what little we know, the Zohars attract gnosis and emanate some unknown energy. And why would they want to increase their power? Just being them is powerful enough to take over a planet if they were smart enough to."  
  
So many questions Shion, you are so naive. The gnosis don't take over planets because they are not allowed to yet. chaos reflected on Old Miltia. Well, there were a few exceptions. Those attacks were meant to wipe out certain people. When chaos didn't answer Shion continued, "I was wondering, why are we going in there in the first place chaos? What are we looking for?" Again he didn't answer.  
  
Shion bent close to him, "I think you know something of why we're supposed to find in there don't you?" her voice turned sternand she pointed with a finger at the planet, "What is it chaos? How are we going to find it? Look how huge that thing is! It would take more than eight—no, a hundred generations to search that thing."  
  
Silent treatment.  
  
The chief engineer was getting frustrated, "Give me an idea atleast! What are you getting us into chaos. I have a positive feeling that YOU lured us here."  
  
"The core."  
  
"Huh?" Shion was a little startled.  
  
"The core. That's where we're going to go."  
  
Shion turned away from her friend, knowing not to press him any further or else he'd leave, "Do you think these gnosis, if they are that intelligent. What do they call their homeworld?" chaos looked away and left seeming not wanting to answer. Shion watched him carefully. He stopped before he left, "Dead's Tear. A.K.A the Acid Droplet." The door hissed shut behind him.  
  
chaos' footsteps were barely audible in the almost complete silence of the ship. The crew were grimly preparing for the dreaded landing that they would attempt in a few hours. Akita was still trying to coax Hammer out of the boys cabin. And it seems that she was getting annoyed enough to start—oh, use her charm to make him come? chaos smiled slightly.  
  
Out of his peripheral vision he noticed a shadow hiding in the corner. Looking over, he saw that it was an ethereal basilisk. The red, barely ant like gnosis shook itself like a dog. chaos' brow knit together in puzzlement, "Already?"  
  
It made odd deep thrumming sounds while nodding its warped spiky head.  
  
chaos hesitated, "The crew still won't move out in a few hours. You'll startle them if you do that. Just wait for awhile longer." The basilisk replied then vanished into the floor.  
  
"So impatient." chaos mumbled. He traveled down the empty hallways with only his thoughts to disturb him. Although the placid look in his translucent blue eyes made it seem like he didn't have much on his mind, chaos had more to think about than anyone on the ship. The silver haired youth turned the corner and was startled to find Kos-mos barely ten inches from his face.  
  
"Oh! Sorry Kos-mos didn't mean to almost run into you." He apologized, "I guess I'm sort of dozing off." the android didn't answer.  
  
Kos-mos blinked. Her scanners locked onto his face and began scanning him. Just like the day she'd first boarded the Elsa, there was just something different about him. But no matter what Kos-mos tried, nothing seemed to be able to decipher what was wrong.  
  
"Kos-mos?" chaos asked, "Are you—waa!"  
  
Kos-mos nabbed chaos by the arm and slamming him against the wall, pinning his slim arms on wither side of his head, "What the heck are you doing Kos- mos?!" chaos demanded.  
  
"Tell me," the android began, "What makes it so that a 'human' like yourself is able to focus energies like you do."  
  
"What do you mean?" chaos shifted uncomfortably.  
  
"What are you chaos? You know that MOMO and I were watching you that night when you passed out. You are something far superior to that of a human. Everyone suspects it, I know it." she almost seemed angry. chaos didn't reply. He could predict what the android would do if he tried to pull another 'avoidance' answer. In her sight, Kos-mos saw a particularly big pulse in the youth's veins that contained his sickness.  
  
"And that virus," she started to add, "It seems to be more than just an ordinary one. In fact I think it's beyond that of any in the known galaxies. What is it doing to you chaos? Is it killing you? Mutating you? Changing?"  
  
chaos flinched as far as he could against the wall. This he definitely wasn't going to answer. The questions Kos-mos had asked were things he just couldn't tell. Kos-mos suddenly tightened her grip painfully around his wrists, "I will receive an answer from you."  
  
chaos looked back at the blue haired android. Nothing. He didn't see any of that glint of life he'd seen when they'd saved the Elsa at Second Miltia. This behavior was dictated by programming unlocked by very selective events. Some of which was chosen at random, some not.  
  
Without warning Allen walked around the corner and stopped in his tracks, "Kos-mos what are you doing!"  
  
"Interrogating."  
  
"That's not the way to interrogate someone unless you absolutely have to! Let go of chaos now!" Allen shouted, shattering the relatively tranquil silence in the air. Kos-mos just gave the co-worker one of her blank looks, "As you wish."  
  
Abruptly the ship tilted at a sharp angel, causing Allen to fall against the far wall, "What the--? What was that!" The trio ran to the bridge, joined along the way with the rest of the crew.  
  
Shion was still where she'd been standing where chaos had left her. She pointed to the side windows, "Look! The gnosis are moving us in on their own!"  
  
"Tony try and shake them off!" Matthews commanded. The blonde pilot leaped into his seat and attempted to shake off the ethereal creatures.  
  
"The controls won't work captain! It's like they're completely cut off from the main computer!"  
  
"What!!"  
  
An orca like call came from the hundreds of sky fish as they began latching onto the Elsa's hull and began to move it forward at an increasing speed.  
  
"Don't use the Hilbert Effect while they're on the hull Kos-mos." Shion warned, "Or else their limbs will damage it."  
  
"Affirmative. Shion, you cannot hear sound in space for the reason that it is devoid of air correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Kos-mos glanced over at a sky fish that was floating above the glass, "Then how is it that we are able to hear them?"  
  
Allen stepped forward, "I just realized that."  
  
"Right now we can't worry bout an observation expedition people. We've got to get these things off my ship now!" he thumped his fist against his side terminal.  
  
Akita looked up, "Perhaps a slight Vibro Shock would force them to let go."  
  
"Do it."  
  
"Your wish is my command." Akita entered a few codes and the ship began to hum. The hulls began to vibrate to a certain degree that it became a deadly armor that forced many of the sky fish to detach in fright, the nose of the ship tipped up as a result. Just past Dead's Tear was what looked like the edge of a giant black hole!  
  
Jr. swore, "Is that what I think it is? A black hole! But if that's what it is, then how come the homeworld hasn't been sucked into it yet." the gnosis reorganized themselves once the Vibro Shock was done.  
  
"Do that again Akita!" the captain ordered.  
  
The research and navigations realian furrowed her brow, "You don't have the most updated version of this shield. I have to wait a half an hour before I can tell the ship to send a second wave." Matthews went into a frenzy.  
  
"Where are they taking us?" MOMO fidgeted until Ziggy put his strong reassuring hands on her shoulders. The sky fish increased their speed till they were exceeding that of what the cargo ship could do in normal space. They went up and up unto the Acid Droplet curved sharply and flattened out and they were at the top. What the crew of the Elsa saw amazed them.  
  
Veins similar to the ones connecting the smaller planets extended through the very top and into the center of the black hole. Here was where the most gnosis flurried about in what seemed to be unorganized groups, but on closer inspection they found that they were traveling in distinct groups and once in awhile merging themselves to the giant vein connected to the black hole.  
  
"I don't get it." Shion finally managed to say, "How is it possible for the gnosis to do—whatever they're doing."  
  
"I don't know." Jr. looked over his shoulder, "chaos what—chaos what's wrong?" everyone turned at the concern in the U.R.T.V.'s voice. chaos stood rigid as a statue. The sadness and pain that was seen in his eyes told everyone that he was going through some very rough memories.  
  
"chaos?" Shion stepped closer but the youth turned and ran before he shed the guilty tears that were threatening to drop. Everyone stood in silence, puzzled. A groan lurched them back to reality as they realized the hull of the ship was straining. The sky fish were brining them straight towards the watery 'atmosphere' of Dead's Tear.  
  
Sitting on the shoulder of Simeon, Albedo's AGWS, watching all that was going on. More sky fish had latched onto Simeon and were taking them in as well.  
  
A screech interrupted his thoughts. Virgil leaped up in time to avoid a Doppelwogel. The giant boss gnosis lunged at him again, it's huge claws lashing out to kill. Giving a frustrated grunt as he sent a blast of energy at the Doppelwogel, Virgil sent a mental message to Albedo. And then vanished into a whirlwind of energy.  
  
The surface of what looked like water rippled as the two machines passed through. After a string of strange twisted sights of what seemed to be images, the 'water' stretched away to reveal a very odd scene of what appeared to be jagged mountains. The sky fish gently laid the ships on a wide plateau and then fanned away to do other things.  
  
Jr. cocked his guns, "Everyone ready?"  
  
The group shouldered the carefully packed packs and headed for the exit. chaos was there waiting for them, his features once again placid. After Matthews entered the code the exit slid open letting in a rush of lukewarm air. Wind howled through the seemingly empty mountains, carrying their voices away or bringing them closer. On the far side of the empty plateau stood a herd of gnosis Unicorns. These creatures were far from what the beautiful fairy tail unicorns looked like.  
  
"Activating Ultra Range Hilbert Effect." Kos-mos' visor clicked over her face. Her metallic body blazed with an inferno of colored shockwaves, making the any gnosis within range 'into their world', "Engaging Combat--."  
  
"Wait!" chaos walked briskly ahead and approached the jittery looking creatures. He began to slow down as he drew nearer. The leader lifted its head high in an attempt to not let the boy touch him. Yet after much coaxing, it lowered its head, "It's ok." chaos called back, "They aren't here to battle us. Had they, we wouldn't have been able to open the doors first."  
  
"What are they for then?" Ziggy asked suspiciously.  
  
"You don't want to try to climb down there do you?"  
  
Keeping a wary eye on the herd, Jr. sidestepped until he could look over the edge. Blasts of wind made his eyes water, there were many razor sharp obsidian edges, complicated ledges, and other things that made his eyes hurt and his head swim, it seemed to go on forever. He snapped away, "You've gotta be kidding me!"  
  
"Nope." The youth walked to the left side of the Unicorn, it knelt on its front legs so that he could mount, "All you have to do is hold on tight and don't let go."  
  
"Those things are going to take us down 'there'!"  
  
chaos was beginning to get annoyed, "would you rather try frog jumping the acid clouds?"  
  
They shook their heads even though they had no idea what he was talking about, "Then choose a mount!" chaos felt a flutter in his chest. He could sense their presence very strongly. Shion hesitantly mounted her steed. It stood up as if she were nothing. She could actually feel its muscles ripple under its grotesque hide.  
  
Albedo rode up beside chaos, "Where's Virgil?"  
  
"She wouldn't allow another one of your kind here that had been alive at the time." was his reply. chaos was a little shocked that he wouldn't be able to have Virgil here with him. Oh well, I should have expected that.  
  
The instant everyone had settled, the Unicorns shot as one straight towards the cliff at more than break neck speed. Ziggy held a frightened MOMO close to him as he leaned forward, trying to keep a firm grip on the beasts' thick muscled neck. Shion couldn't open her eyes since there was so much wind and the Unicorns galloping so fast. She was glad she'd given in to the thought of putting her glasses in her pack. Abruptly she felt her stomach lurch and she knew they had dropped the edge. Maybe it was best that all of them couldn't open their eyes and see. The aggressive turns, leaps, jumps, and stand offs that forced the instincts of their bodies to kick in and latch onto their rides with every ounce of their will and strength was probably best left unseen.  
  
Kos-mos caught a glance of chaos out of her peripheral vision. His eyes were open and calm, like he was born to this kind of adventure and exhilaration.  
  
The lower the Unicorns brought them, the less wind there was and the less dangerous the trek was by human terms. As one they dug in their hooves and came to a sharp stop. Everyone either fell off, or just sat their still clinging to their steed. It took a good almost an hour for everyone to even begin to recuperate. The Unicorns galloped away as soon as Allen had been pried off by Ziggy, Akita was tending to Hammer and Tony, and Jr. MOMO. Shion sat alone, staring at the ground.  
  
chaos surveyed the group with his hands on his hips, "You'd think after all they'd been through this would be nothing." He mumbled quietly to Albedo who was standing beside him.  
  
"Well, I don't think this is the kind of excitement they are used to."  
  
"True. Hey Kos-mos! How long was that ride?"  
  
"Approximately one hour and forty-nine minutes, and fifty-one seconds."  
  
chaos smoothed his windblown hair, "Ya I think we should have a rest don't you think Albedo?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
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Interesting chap I think. Although not my favorite. Review please! 


	18. In the Walls

Chapter 18: Inside the Walls  
  
chaos sat on an elevated ledge watching over the group as they recovered their strength from the daring ride from the gnosis Unicorns. They had a long way to go yet since they couldn't merge into the planet itself like the gnosis could. That almost two hour ride at beyond the speed of sound had barely scratched the surface of the odd planet.  
  
At the moment the crew was under a gigantic cavern like place right under the mountains. Dead's Tear seemed to be made up with a combination of natural things merged within the strange material the planet was made of, the best way to describe it was like the inside of a Cathedral Ship. Looking out over the brightly lit expanse before them, chaos felt another flutter in his chest. She was so close, her presence made maintaining himself almost not possible, and the others didn't help him any more to keep himself. Fortunately Albedo was there and using his telepathic powers, more tuned than Jr.'s, to help him.  
  
"So where do we go now?" Shion asked after she'd taken a swig of water from her hip flask.  
  
Jr. stood up, "How should we know? We don't even know why we're here in the first place." While they discussed their situation, MOMO stole a glance over at chaos before turning her attention back.  
  
"Earlier chaos mentioned something about going to the core of Dead's Tear. That's atleast a destination for us. Theirs is a reason that the gnosis brought us in here." Shion alleged.  
  
Ziggy looked up to where their silver haired friend was perched, "What's in the core chaos?"  
  
"Whatever is there." he simply stated.  
  
The cyborg furrowed his brow, "You are the one that mentioned this, you should have a reason to be sending us there. Our scanners did not have even a quarter of a quarter enough range to even reach half of one side of this planet. Let alone its center. What is in there chaos?"  
  
"Shall I repeat what I said fifteen seconds ago?"  
  
Shion tilted her head. Was chaos actually being sarcastic?  
  
The youth leaped and landed gracefully on his feet next to Albedo, "We're wasting time just standing here debating." He glanced up at the complicated twisted shaft they'd came down through, "You can't go back now. And even if you did make it back to the ships you wouldn't be able to go back because that's not how the columns here work with anyone other than gnosis." Without another word he walked past the others, Albedo close behind him. After a short pause MOMO started forward followed closely by Ziggy then everyone else.  
  
Dead's Tear was a very fascinating, horrendous place of creation and destruction. Ships merged in the floor and ceiling, columns of 'flesh', webs of thick veins pulsing rhythmically. More than just ships were merged into the soft walls, rocks and even plants could be seen. Any sign of life they thought they saw instantly vanished. Shion found that strange since outside she'd seen billions upon billions of gnosis constantly entering into the Acid Droplet. She sniffed, the air had the sharp, yet not unpleasant smell of salt.  
  
"chaos?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"You said no other ships could come in Lost Jerusalem. Then how come there are ships all around here."  
  
chaos sighed, "People make the mistake of trying to find Jerusalem and as a result the gnosis force them in here."  
  
"I don't see anyone." MOMO brought up the courage to peep into the webby open doorway of an escape pod.  
  
"Remember MOMO when gnosis touch a human or a realian they turn white and shatter so nothing's left, unless you count the ones that used to be on the Durandel." Jr. added. The observational realian shivered slightly, "Is it just me or is it cold in here?"  
  
Shion hugged herself, "It is sort of cold in here."  
  
"I just feel cold along the spine." Allen alleged his opinion.  
  
"It is approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit." Said Kos-mos. Shion was puzzled by this news. Oh well, maybe they were just still a little shaken from the ride. She took the lead when she saw they were headed for what looked like an opening in an angled wall. Shallow lime stone stairs led to another large room with misshapen spikes protruding from the soft floor. It was strange, everywhere they went despite no known light source, there was always light coming from somewhere. No gnosis were in here.  
  
"Shion, I am detecting life forms."  
  
"Gnosis? Where are they?"  
  
"Negative, the life forms are all around us."  
  
Shion looked to her left where there was a wall to see the discolored body of a human being inside the wall, "AHHHHHH!!!!!" startled, the Vector employee backed up so fast that she ran into the opposite wall which had even more glaze eyed people suspended within. Again she screamed and hid behind Allen. MOMO dittoed and leaped into Ziggy's arms.  
  
A quick over glance you couldn't have seen them, but suspended within the semi transparent soft walls, floors and ceilings were thousands upon millions upon billions of people. Veins from Dead's Tear were merged to the heart area, gut and temples plus various others in the skull.  
  
"What's happened to all these people! How the heck are they still alive!" Tony bellowed.  
  
Akita's pupils pulsed ever so slightly, "The gnosis planet is keeping them alive for some reason." MOMO glanced around to find chaos had stopped at the top of the stairs without anyone noticing. His eyes were wide with what seemed to be horror. It looked like chaos was being pulled into something that he didn't want to be in. Albedo noticed this when he followed MOMO's gaze, "chaos!" The youth snapped out of whatever he was seeing and descended the stairs swiftly.  
  
"W—what's with all these people chaos? Why are they still alive?" Shion stuttered.  
  
chaos looked left, right, then up and down as if he was only just seeing it for the first time, then pointing with his gloved hand, "That answer your question?"  
  
What looked like shards of white blocks began gathering out of nowhere and began to piece together like a puzzle intertwined within the limbs of other bodies. And then color began to blur, detail formed as a realian dressed in a military suit came into being. For a second the man struggled franticly within the soft yet tough tissue of the gnosis flesh.  
  
"We've got to help him!" Shion summoned forth her M.W.S. and fired at the wall. The energies ricocheted off the unphased flesh. Veins began to slowly take form and then lodged themselves into similar places like they had others. The realian sagged like a rag doll, his eyes glazing over.  
  
"What you assumed was the gnosis completely destroying a human was incorrect," chaos touched the wall where a figure dressed in a Federation Fleet uniform was, "The gnosis transport them here to help maintain, and make Dead's Tear grow. These people that you see before you, are only the most recent of generations. Do you recognize this person from the Woglinde perhaps Shion?"  
  
Shion summoned enough courage to step forward for a better look. Her bright green eyes grey wide with horror, "Yes, I saw this soldier in the hallway when I was trying to get back to Kos-mos—hey wait a minute! How did you know this soldier was on the Woglinde?"  
  
"They are brought here to feed the homeworld." chaos continued, "The Acid Droplet is a living thing, constantly in need of nourishment for it's various 'activities' you might say. And eventually it needs to grow, because the ones that are kept alive to unknowingly give the homeworld his or her body, will not be enough and Dead's Tear will need more." He looked up at the soldier, "What you thought were just random attacks were not just a search party for the Zohars, but for more 'food'."  
  
A stunned silence hung in the salty air. chaos didn't expect much of a response, so he started walking across the room to the other side where another gaping hallway, leading down, beckoned. It didn't seem to matter where they went, everywhere there was people imbedded in the walls, floors and ceilings. As the crew made their way deeper a good three miles, the dates on any nametags they saw started to go further back.  
  
MOMO stopped to look at the silhouetted form of a little girl. She shivered, that's why she was getting the heebie geebies. The people were being given an undeath. Denied were they to be gone from this never ending nightmare.  
  
"chaos?"  
  
"What is it MOMO?"  
  
"Are they conscious? Are they awake through every second of this?"  
  
"In ways," the youth looked at her, "Their own memories are being used to taunt them, to make them suffer. Make them want to get away from here only they are unable to."  
  
"Their own memeories are being used to taunt them? How? Nobody can control someone's memories like that. Unless you're--." She glanced over her shoulder at Kos-mos.  
  
chaos watched where she looked, "Yes that's very true MOMO. Even some realians memories are able to be erased completely and when—if they are activated again, then they become a whole different person." He sighed, "But the gnosis are able to control a flesh being's memories. Don't ask me how, it's too complicated to explain."  
  
"How do you know this chaos?" Ziggy demanded.  
  
chaos chuckled softly, "You sometimes find things out in ways you don't want."  
  
MOMO fiddled with her fingernails. How much did chaos know about the Acid Droplet? What had happened to him? Surely he couldn't have been here before. Could he?  
  
Tangled within her many questions, the observational realian failed to noticed the floor suddenly sink in around her foot till too late.  
  
"Ah! Somebody help me!" she screamed. She struggled in pulling her foot out of the gooey floor but it only seemed to help her sink further.  
  
Jr. stepped carefully around and stretched his hand out, "Here MOMO grab on!"  
  
MOMO's fingertips grazed his just as her other foot started sinking just in time, "Oh no! What's going on! Jr. help!!"  
  
The U.R.T.V. started to lean forward as far as he could, only guessing where the soft gnosis flesh was. Ziggy and the others began to come forward but stopped as Jr.'s began to sink too.  
  
"Ah! What the heck is it doing!" Jr. lost his balance and fell forward onto his hands, which the floor instantly trapped. A huge moan sounded through the empty halls. Shion gasped as the floor throbbed like a title wave and engulfed Jr. and MOMO.  
  
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I know it's a short chap and a cliffe but what can I say? I love doing cliffe's! I cut it a little short cuz I have to go to a sleepover party for the weekend. Check again Monday as I might have the next chap up. But be sure to spend time with your parents and whoever was in the army or marines or whatever. And have a moment of thought about the soldiers now in Iraq and other places fighting for our peace. 


	19. Maze

Chapter 19: Maze  
  
MOMO felt the air from her lungs squeezed out of her as she fell through the uncomfortably smooth liquid flesh of Dead's Tear. The realian felt her heart start to hammer with panic and her airway tighten painfully. MOMO struggled in vain; a feeling of dread came over her as she realized she wasn't going to ever make it. What was the point in struggle anymore? She wasn't going to Jr. and the others now that the Acid Droplet had its hold on her. So what--.  
  
"Waahh!" The pink haired realian dropped out of the disturbingly smooth flesh and felt the rush of air, "Oof! Owie." She complained while rubbing her tailbone. After a moment of regaining her breath, MOMO heard a sick squirming sound and looked up just in time to avoid being squished by Jr.  
  
"Ahh!" Jr. lay still for a moment groaning, "Thank you so much for catching me."  
  
"Sorry, are you ok?" MOMO helped the red head to his feet.  
  
Jr. rubbed his chin, "Uh let's see: I just got sucked down into the floor, almost suffocated, and landed on my face after a twenty foot drop—how do you think I feel?" he pinched his nose so that blood didn't drip everywhere. MOMO pulled out some napkins from her pack and a syringe filled with a silvery bit of nano bots. Carefully injecting them into the side corner of Jr.'s nose, MOMO gave him an apologetic look.  
  
"Aw don't give me the chibi eyes MOMO I was just a little worried. Plus a bit cranky."  
  
She relaxed and handed him the napkins to wipe the blood away, "I understand how you're worried, but why cranky?"  
  
"For one thing, my dark side is with us," Jr. tossed away the blood soaked napkins, "Two: We're inside the gnosis homeworld and there's absolutely no way we can get out. And third: I'm starting to not trust chaos anymore. It's like he wanted us to come here for some reason, all the knowledge he seems to have about this place would most likely only be acquired by experience." He sighed heavily while running a pale had through his red hair, giving him a stylish out of bed look. Jr. put his hands on his hips and glanced around, trying to gather their situation.  
  
MOMO used her scanners to try to locate the crew above them but since there were so many undying people she wasn't able to lock onto anything. Instead she tried to sense any movement.  
  
"There still above us. We fell a long ways they're almost out of my range."  
  
"How far is that?"  
  
"Fifty yards." Now she wished she'd gotten scanner upgrades before they'd left. Jr. coughed, and it took a moment for MOMO to realize that he was just shocked at how far they'd fallen than the fact that her equipment wasn't up to date. Well, fifteen hundred feet was a long way to suffocate.  
  
"Watch out!" MOMO shoved Jr. aside just in time to avoid something white pierce through the ceiling. The glow vanished to reveal a harpoon like rod. Jr. tore it out of the ground. He examined it more closely and found that there was writing scratched into the surface of the rod:  
  
We'll follow you with our motion scanners. What you have to do is find your way out of that maze you just got pulled in. Careful, the gnosis might want to play cat and mouse in there.  
  
Jr. looked around to see a hallway to his right, another one behind him, and to his left, "Great," he had heavy sarcasm in his tone, "We're in a stupid maze. I hate mazes! I have enough trouble with paper mazes."  
  
MOMO tugged on his wrist, "Come on let's go this way. One thing Shion told me, she said when you're working with a maze you always do your best to go one way. Because that usually it works."  
  
"Usually!" Jr. emphasized. Behind them there was the sound of sharp gurgling as strings from the walls interlaced to block them from going back. Jr. sighed in exasperation, "Get your Dragon Rod out MOMO, and keep your motion sensors on. That'll atleast give us a head start of anything." He whipped out both of his shining silver guns, whirled them on his fingers and cocked them. MOMO pulled her weapon from her hip. The rod was red with a golden dragonhead with its mouth open spitting sunset orange flames. It was by far the most powerful that a realian could have at this level. The path suddenly forked into two.  
  
MOMO hesitated, "Left or right?"  
  
"Wanna flip a coin?"  
  
"Why not."  
  
Jr. reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a genuine silver coin. It made a slight ring when his finger flipped it into the air, "Heads is left, tails is right." He caught it and swiftly slapped it against the top of his other hand, "Heads."  
  
"Ok we'll stick with left."  
  
The two friends hurried down the left hallway. It was eerily quiet inside the maze. It seemed like nothing except them were the only living things in the universe.  
  
Dead end.  
  
They felt like the silence was pressing against their ears like water ready to engulf them if they let their guard down. MOMO's heart began to pound franticly against her rib cage. She felt trapped, she wanted to get out right now, she wanted to go home.  
  
Three way fork.  
  
Jr. wasn't fairing any better. He felt trapped as well; feeling like some unknown predator that slinked just out of sight was watching him. Jr. found it hard to breathe, his air seeming to stick to the inside of his throat.  
  
"MOMO stop!" Jr. put his hands against his knees, trying to breathe in for starters.  
  
His amber eyed friend fidgeted and twitched, "Hurry up! I don't want to be in here anymore!" there was a hint of panic in her voice.  
  
"J—just a second." Jr. forced himself to calm down and think it out. Why were they acting like this? It was just a maze with gnosis running around somewhere. Why were they panicking when there was no need to panic? They'd been just fine a half an hour ago—no wait—he checked his watch—make that two hours ago.  
  
"We've been going in circles I think."  
  
"But I'm sure we were going somewhere atleast. Not in a circle."  
  
Jr. shook his head, "Look," he pointed to a certain person, her eyes close, hair fanned out, almost at the surface of the wall, "We've passed that woman before. We were going somewhere before but now we just went in a circle."  
  
"Great! And I don't remember any other route."  
  
"Maybe we should backtrack and go right this time."  
  
MOMO agreed and started after him. It took another two hours to back track to the first fork in the road but they managed, this time taking the other hallway. MOMO's feet began to hurt, and she felt a stitch in her side. But she ignored it as long as she could. Eventually the realian had to give in.  
  
"Jr. let's take a break ok?"  
  
The U.R.T.V. stopped, "Sure MOMO, I'm getting tired too." He sat down and took a swig of his water. MOMO settled down close to him. For a moment there was only eerie silence.  
  
"Jr.?"  
  
"Ya?"  
  
"How did they know—or shall I say 'chaos' know it was a maze down here?"  
  
"I was wondering the same thing myself." Jr. placed his arm around her shoulders to comfort the scared girl, "It's not so much that I mind him knowing, it helps a lot. But it just worries me of 'how' he knows about this place."  
  
"I completely agree with you." MOMO concurred. She felt suddenly safe sitting there with Jr. so close to her. It helped her see that he really cared for her or else he might not be there at all if he hadn't. MOMO often got this warm feeling inside her chest whenever she was with the sometimes short-tempered red head. Actually she'd always felt this feeling even when she was still hiding inside her shell when she first met Jr.  
  
A lovely voice out of nowhere started singing.  
  
Jr. jumped to his feet and readied his guns. His sharp blue eyes searching for whoever was coming towards them. He knew the Song of Nephilim had never stopped playing even after the weird incident in the column, but now those voices had started up again! What the heck!? The Song didn't even really have a tune it was more of a frequency 'like' a tune but it was far from good music.  
  
"Jr. look!" MOMO pointed with her rod. Two white glowing figures were walking could be seen walking on the other side of the wall. Long vine like tentacles trailed behind them in the air. They must have extended a good twenty or thirty feet. Abruptly another harpoon like rod shot down through the ceiling. Jr. wrenched it out of the ground to find it only had one word etched into it: RUN!!!  
  
Not a split second later Jr. holstered one gun and grabbed MOMO's wrist in a smooth motion running like there was no tomorrow. Left, right, it didn't matter anymore they just had to put as much distance as they could from the singers. But instead of getting quieter, they actually became louder.  
  
"Jr. they know we're here!" MOMO screamed.  
  
Jr. glanced over his shoulder to see the humanoids pacing them easily. Their white blurred figures suddenly sped up to an impossible speed and they vanished somewhere ahead. Jr. and MOMO skidded to a halt and backtracked to a turn Jr. had purposely missed. He desperately hoped it led away from whatever the things were.  
  
They ran alone for another few minutes before they hit right smack at a dead end. Grunting in frustration, Jr. began firing at it, trying to make a hole that they could climb through. The shots, since they weren't energy like most of his Tech Attacks, started to rip the flesh apart.  
  
MOMO suddenly smacked his hand down, "Stop!" she hissed.  
  
"What!"  
  
"Something's not right." The realian whispered. For a long, agonizing moment the two just stood there waiting for the next event. The maze once again seemed like a desolate universe. MOMO wanted to run, but her feet felt rooted in their place.  
  
"Boo!" two turquoise flame creatures that gave off the rough image of jaguars stuck their head through the dead end causing both MOMO and Jr. to scream. The creatures laughed mockingly and snapped their deadly teeth.  
  
Running faster than they ever had, Jr. and MOMO attempted to escape the gnosis but with a few great leaps the things easily paced them. The turquoise energy "jaguars" looked like they couldn't quite hold their form. MOMO didn't see or really care when the one on her side lowered its head to her level, grinning evilly.  
  
Without warning the ceiling opened up with a blast of light. Dead's Tear moaned loudly, already repairing the damage that chaos had caused. The youth spread his white flaring angelic wings, "Keep away from them! Angel Blow!"  
  
The jaguars roared in pain but in a split second retaliated. They smashed chaos back up through the ceiling, surprising the rest of the crew even more. Shion and the others didn't have time to gawk however, instantly the shot another potable harpoon rod down the sizzling hole where Jr. nabbed hold of it and wrapped his other arm around MOMO, "Go go go pull us up!" Stringy, stretchy globs of flesh were starting to pull across their only escape route.  
  
In the air of the cavern like room they were in, chaos fought the two jaguars right in mid air. He beat his wings furiously as he resorted to hand to hand combat. His adversaries climbed all over him, gnashing their teeth, clawing at his flesh roaring in the pleasure of fighting. chaos gave a blast of energy that threw the over sized cats off him. The things landed nimbly on their toes against the wall then launched themselves back at him.  
  
The gooey flesh was getting very thick and Jr. and MOMO were still a hundred feet from safety. Their bodies continually tore the new flesh away but it was getting thicker, and starting to harden near the surface. MOMO turned her face into Jr.'s chest so that the flesh strings would get away from her face. Salty tears started pouring down her cheeks, the flesh seeming to melt away. Jr. grunted, trying to keep his tiring grip firm. What little shafts of light he could see shrank further until he could see no more.  
  
chaos and his aerial battle weren't favoring any side. Both evaded like they could predict the others next move. Out of his peripheral vision he spotted Albedo and Ziggy thrusting their arms deep into the new flesh.  
  
At first he thought he was imagining it, but Jr. felt someone's fingers clasp around his hand. He felt too tired, too deprived of what he needed. But a certain warm someone pressed against his body reminded Jr. that this was not a place to die in.  
  
Tony helped Albedo pull Jr. and MOMO out of the stringy flesh. Ziggy pulled his responsibility and friend out of Jr.'s arms, wiping the disgusting flesh from her face. The first thing Jr. saw when he opened his tired eyes was the person he hated most. But at the moment Jr' didn't have the energy to argue, besides, Albedo had a genuine worried look in his eyes.  
  
Getting scared they might take form and reveal themselves too soon, chaos used the one attack that would force them back atleast.  
  
"Ready?" he smashed a fist into the palm of his hand, "Banisher!" Strange connected zigzagged symbols appeared in front of him. He reached out and touched each one starting from the top, each symbol exploding in lava red sparks. Once the combo was finished, the symbols stretched forward into silver flames that engulfed the two jaguars. They roared and crashed to the floor.  
  
chaos' feathers bristled menacingly, "Get out of here right now!" his Demon Banisher would cursed gnosis. But considering who they really were he doubted it would last long.  
  
The jaguars stumbled to their feet, one stepping forward, "You can't order us around." she swished her tail, ready to pounce. chaos was afraid of this, if they talked openly then....  
  
"Go back to the hole from which you crawled from! I don't want to see you ever again!"  
  
"Who would want to see you ever again." the cat growled, "You hang around with that half hen and her tin can of miracles while we remain. Well all that will soon change." She gave him a toothy grin.  
  
Something strange began happening to chaos. An aura of silvery turquoise energy began to emanate from his body. His silver hair bristled almost like his feathers and an angry look of anguish and hopeless faith burned within his translucent blue eyes.  
  
chaos bared his teeth and growled menacingly, "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT NOW!!!" with a cry of rage chaos gathered energy from all around him, focused it and fired. Shards of what looked like broken crystal or mirror shards spiraled along the beam of blue light. The jaguars leaped away and vanished into the walls.  
  
"Haha you missed! Come on chaos come and get us we're waiting!" the first one's voice echoed. The hissing trench left by the attack quickly started to mend itself. The instant chaos' feet touched the floor his wings folded and vanished.  
  
Shion left MOMO's and Ziggy's side, "chaos are you ok?" she reached out to touch him.  
  
chaos felt his left arm jerk in Shion's direction in an attempt to grab her throat. The Vector employee gasped in surprise and leaped away just in time. chaos grabbed his left wrist, trying to force himself to lower it. His muscles twitched with strain, but eventually he won the battle and settled down. Shion stared at chaos while he gasped for breathe, sweat beading his brow. She suddenly noticed how pale he looked than before. chaos was supposed to have creamy brown skin, not fair.  
  
"chaos what's wrong?" Shion gently probed. Something was bugging him both inside and out and she wanted to help. The youth looked up at her through strands of his long silver hair. Shion thought she saw something in them that she'd never seen before, or else he'd just hid it so well. It was emptiness, like apart of him was missing or something.  
  
chaos suddenly smiled gently, "Go tend to MOMO and Jr., I'm fine."  
  
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Happy Memorial Day everyone! Hope you got to spend plenty of time with your family and thought about our soldiers in Iraq. Well I'll see ya all later. Review please! 


	20. Floral Beauty

Ray: Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it. : )  
  
Chapter 20: Floral Beauty  
  
chaos sat against the wall watching MOMO and Jr. recover from their near suffocation death. He didn't look it, but his anger was burning deep inside. He was mad at himself for loosing his temper, it had almost released the pent up emotions that chaos was always trying to contain. Also, the energy jaguars had threatened to reveal what he strived to keep secret until it was time.  
  
Akita knelt beside the youth and offered him a flask, "You are dehydrated chaos, you must drink something."  
  
chaos politely pushed the offering away, "No thanks, anything now days that's supposed to go into my stomach will just come right out."  
  
The realian looked confused, "How long have you been going without nourishment?"  
  
"Since this journey started."  
  
"And how long ago was that?"  
  
"Uh, a few months I guess." He sounded as though it were no big deal.  
  
"A few months!?" Akita's outburst turned most heads, "How could a human go so long without nourishment? The max is seven days and you need to atleast have water."  
  
chaos tried to push the realian away, "I'm fine Akita, it's no problem really." He assured. Anyone paying attention wasn't convinced. Ziggy stood up and walked over, Albedo looked a little worried. The cyborg knelt beside chaos, "How 'can' you go so long chaos?"  
  
The youth huddled as far as he could against the wall, "Can't a guy get some space on this planet?" he glanced over at Jr. who suddenly coughed something greenish up, "Might want to give him some water Shion. It looks like Jr. swallowed something he shouldn't have."  
  
"What good will water do?" Shion asked when she handed Albedo her flask of water. The darker half held Jr. up straight, thrusting the open bottle into his mouth. Jr. choked at first but then started to gulp down so fast Albedo had to force the red head to stop.  
  
"Something good when it comes to gnosis." Albedo said as Jr. coughed.  
  
"What are you blabbering about?" Matthews exclaimed, "Nothing except a Hilbert Effect can be good against the gnosis."  
  
Standing quietly, chaos scooted away from Akita and Ziggy and rounded the corner of the boulder. At the moment he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Albedo would cover for him, that much he knew. But he would also keep an eye on chaos should he be gone too long. This room was lit softly by two 'ghost flame. They were simply blue flames on the tip of a tentacle jutting out of the far wall. chaos suddenly felt someone following him, the consciousness was almost to the dead point so he knew it was Kos-mos.  
  
"May I have a word with you chaos?" the android asked in that same monotone voice.  
  
chaos sighed heavily, almost annoyed, "Of course, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
Kos-mos walked up beside him, "Those beings that you chased off approximately 2 hours and fifteen minutes, and twenty seconds ago. Seem to know you and vise versa. Is this correct?"  
  
Oh boy, back to the interrogating again, "Not really, why?"  
  
"Emphasis on 'not really'. That means they do know you. Do you know them? Or is it both?"  
  
She's learning, "Would you remember someone if they attacked you in your past." Well this was partially true.  
  
"I am not an assassin. But if it were required, then yes." Kos-mos answered automatically, "Why are you trying to avoid answering?"  
  
"I'm not trying to avoid."  
  
"From what data I've collected, in addition with everyone's suspicions of your grammar. When it comes to asking personal questions about yourself you lead them away by asking another question."  
  
"Why would I do that?"  
  
"To hide something that you don't want to reveal." These words hit chaos. The android definitely learning and her inner programming was being unlocked. The emotions that she was programmed were ever so slowly coming naturally to Kos-mos. Even when they did emerge though, it would all be numbers still. Just her programming telling her how to act in a situation. A human would act the same, but they had the will to make a different choice if they really wanted. Robots however, would only do as they were programmed.  
  
"I'm not trying to hide anything from you guys."  
  
"I believe you are." Kos-mos started to advance on him, "You are something more than just a human chaos, your wounds proof it, in addition to your abnormal way of fighting." chaos backed away, curse his regeneration for working automatically. It was true, the shredded parts of his clothing were soaked with blood but underneath the skin looked as though it had never been touched.  
  
"Ok," he admitted, "so I'm keeping a few things from you all. But it's for an important reason that I don't tell." Realizing he was backing himself into a corner, chaos halted and faced the android.  
  
"Why are these secrets so important to keep hidden? Are they not for the good of the group?" Kos-mos' face was within five inches of his. The youth could see the little nano machinery moving about inside her rose red glassy eyes.  
  
"My secrets are just as, and more important than the ones Kevin locked inside you!" chaos stopped himself, he was loosing himself again. chaos turned away while taking a deep breathe, trying to keep his thoughts clear. Kos-mos reached out to place her hand on his shoulder.  
  
chaos shook her off, "Don't touch me!" the strained groan that could be hear from his throat made it seemed like he was trying to hold back a meal that his stomach didn't agree with. He hugged himself tightly, mist puffs coming forth with every exhale he did. Kos-mos found this strange since it was still a normal days temperature inside all of the rooms they'd been in.  
  
Pain beat in sync with chaos' heart, burning through every vein and invading his every thought, making him tremble heavily. Squinting his eyes close only to snap them open instantly because of what he saw, "A-Albedo...." chaos whimpered. His willowy body sagged heavily; through the claw shreds of his clothing you could see the black green veins spreading. Kos-mos walked quickly away and called for the U.R.T.V. When she turned back, chaos was walking tall and strong towards the ghost light.  
  
"chaos," Albedo's tone was stern, "chaos don't!" the youth placed his gold sparkling hand on the flesh wall. Invisible waves of energy caused his silver hair to fly off his neck. A shockwave rippled from his hand all throughout the room like a pebble in a pond.  
  
"What's going on?" Allen asked as he and Shion rounded the corner. A tiny glowing bubble suddenly floated in front of Shion's face. She watched it and realized inside was a seed, "Albedo what's this?"  
  
Albedo dived to grab the seed before it landed but it sank beneath the surface in time for his hand to slap the bare ground. The U.R.T.V. swore horribly, "Get the others now!" even as he said this a fast forward of a flower growing began sprouting up and bloomed.  
  
"A kisenian blossom?"  
  
chaos slumped to the floor.  
  
The flower suddenly leaped up on six thick spider like legs. Allen yelled in surprise, "That thing can move!"  
  
The kisenian started skittering along the wall then jumped towards MOMO, its center suddenly opening wide with ringed teeth. MOMO was sleepily rubbing her eyes when she noticed what was about to hit her face, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"  
  
"MOMO move!" Tony snatched up the realian as he rolled by.  
  
Akita pulled out her gun, "Charging," pink and lavender energies began gathering at the tip of the gun's barrel, "Lilac Shot!"  
  
The pink flower tumbled across the floor unphased by the blast. It rounded on Akita, seeming to grow in size. Distorted laughing filled the air as the upper body of a sallow skinned green haired woman sprouted from the center. The thing dodged the blasts like she predicted them and leaped forward. She slammed Akita and Hammer against the far wall. Her slanted red eyes began to blink rapidly with crimson light as her arms sparked and became hundreds of vines that entangled the two crew members.  
  
"What the heck is that thing!" Shion shouted while summoning out her MWS.  
  
"It's called a Floral Beauty." Albedo replied calmly, "they aren't released out to the galaxies because they are an elite kind of gnosis and are being saved for the Final Massacre."  
  
"The wha--."  
  
A giant version of the kisenian blossom bloomed from the Floral Beauty's back. Little beads of white energy began sliding down into the center.  
  
"It's draining us!" Akita barely managed to scream. Ziggy leaped beside the plant and sliced the vines away.  
  
"Take this! Spell Ray!" The blue beam of energy sent the Floral Beauty sliding a good twenty feet. The gnosis threw off the energy.  
  
"That is one stubborn weed." Shion growled.  
  
"Hehehe! Let's play." The Floral Beauty lashed out her vines. Kos-mos jumped in front of the Vector employee, catching the vines around her forearms, "Engaging Combat Mode."  
  
Wafting in and out of consciousness, chaos watched as his friends attempting to dispose of the elite gnosis. The thing leaped onto the wall only to instantly jump to a different spot since she was being pursued by Kos-mos. The android ran along the walls after the gnosis, only wanting to use her beam attacks when she had a one hundred percent chance of hitting the abnormally intelligent thing. Also, she had to reserve her energy for an important battle since they couldn't get back to her service pod. chaos reached up and pulled himself weakly to his feet.  
  
The Floral Beauty snapped her gaze over to chaos and leaped after him. She scooped his limp body up in her vine arms and began to swiftly climbing up the wall. Kos-mos gathered momentum and speed to pursue, Albedo lifted himself off the ground with a blast of his telekinetic powers. Ziggy brought out a tube like gun and fired one of the harpoons connected to a rope. The Floral vanished over the edge of a cliff.  
  
Jr., revived by the water somehow followed his darker's example and used his telekinetic powers to speed up the chase.  
  
Kos-mos leaped over the ridge to find the elite gnosis standing over a crystal blue glowing stream that seemed to extend forever. The Floral Beauty stood there holding a limp chaos in front of her, long deep blue hair spilling down her face. She chuckled in her distorted voice while lifter her face and stared at Kos-mos.  
  
The android aimed her shot for the face, "If you do not comply willingly in letting chaos go, I shall use force." Her threat sounded pathetic.  
  
The gnosis sneered, "Let him go willingly?" she dropped chaos onto the blue substance, "There." She dodged the android's shots easily before vanishing into the wall. At first chaos didn't move at all, but after a second the thin sheet of skin over the planet's vein broke. Kos-mos ran forward and slid onto her sleek belly in an attempt to snatch chaos up before he sunk beneath the surface. Too late.  
  
Kos-mos thrust her arms into the thick liquid, trying to fish out the youth. The machinery inside her body began to strain. The "blood" of Dead's Tear held fast onto her metal skin and the currant began dragging her in. Albedo and Jr. appeared on either side of the android.  
  
"Your added strength does not appear to be helping." Kos-mos observed unnecessarily.  
  
"Reall? We hadn't—wah!—noticed!" Jr. almost slipped into the vein.  
  
"Release me," Kos-mos commanded, "No one other than me is able to pursuer chaos without the need of oxygen."  
  
"You've got to be kidding Kos-mos! Shion would kill us all!" The stubborn android ignored Jr. She kicked them both off and in doing so fell completely into the bloodstream.  
  
"Kos-mos!" Jr. roared.  
  
"We'll have to go in after them." Albedo said loud enough for the people just arriving to hear.  
  
"I know you're already crazy but...have you lost your mind Albedo! We can't go in this stuff!"  
  
"Where's Kos-mos?" Shion demanded.  
  
"She went after chaos in this thing." Jr. pointed.  
  
"What!?"  
  
Albedo ignored the engineer's outburst, "Believe it or not Rubedo you can breathe in the Acid Droplet's blood. Despite some--." He glanced at the humans inside of the walls, "odd things inside of it."  
  
Jr. glared at his darker suspiciously. "How would you know that?"  
  
"I have my ways." Without waiting for a reply Albedo dived into the vein.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Matthews cried.  
  
Jr. rolled his eyes while sighing, "What a pure coincidence that you can breathe in this stuff."  
  
"Ya, coincidence. Well, there's never an ending to surprises in the universe." MOMO shoved Jr. in, then cannonballed after him. Hammer glanced at Akita who shrugged. The realian followed after Ziggy, then very grudgingly, the rest of the Elsa crew followed.  
  
She's getting impatient. chaos thought as he traveled head first down the vein. Being within the blood of the gnosis homeworld was like when you floated absolutely still in calm waters, that nice, cool, relaxing feeling. It felt both gooey, and airy at the same time. When you opened your eyes however you saw images, stretched and manipulated. chaos just wanted to close his mind and stay where he was. In a mindless, careless place where nothing mattered. A place without grief, anguish, or pain.  
  
Kos-mos wrapped her arms around his waist then dug her high heels into the bottom, sliding several yards before she managed to stop.  
  
There were times where you were just flat out tired of life and just wanted it to stop. You just wanted the pain to go away. All the duties you received to be gone. You just want to stop thinking.  
  
Blurred images flashed across his eyes. There was only a silence pressing in from around him that he could here. Everything merged together until he couldn't tell what was reality, and what were dreams.  
  
chaos felt someone lift his chin up. He looked to see the infection side of himself. The black and silver clad chaos was smiling almost gently at him. chaos looked down and realized he was once again over the black "waters" like before. All this was a signification for something, and he understood it well. They had been engulfed by the darkness, unable to hold out just a little longer. What made him angry was that they hadn't told him.  
  
What use was it anymore?  
  
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Review please! 


	21. Example

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Evil people that infect websites!!!!!!! jumps around in circles pulling on hair That's why doing this 21st chapter has tooken so long. -- Well, sorry bout the delay folks, updates will pick up once again! And now behold, the much anticipated chapter! :D (excuse if my spelling is off for awhile, my Word Microsoft is off my comp temporarely)  
  
Chapter 21: Example  
  
Shion hugged herself, feeling oddly cold for some reason, "How far did we travel Kos-mos?"  
  
"I esimate twenty miles, twelve yards." the android replied.  
  
"Geeze that 'vein' made it seem like we hadn't traveled far at all." Jr. tilted his head, trying to get some of the strange liquid out of his ear.  
  
Ziggy stepped next to the URTV, "Sometimes things can distort your sense of time."  
  
"True." Jr. finally felt the bluish blood leak out of his ear, "How's chaos anyhow?" After Kos-mos had dragged the youth out of the vein he'd been unconciouse. Now he was just laying down sleeping peacefully. Or so it seemed.  
  
chaos' skin was completely sallow white, and his veins around the edges of his face and eyes could be seen clearly as greenish black. Whatever was happening to him, it was reaching its fatal point.  
  
Akita finished her examination, "His heart rate is only slightly faster than normal, his body temperature has dropped drastically, and even though he is not conciouse his mind seems to be extremely active." she glanced over her shoulder at MOMO who was sitting a little apart from the group. The little realian, even though a child was better at medical situations than she, but for some reason MOMO didn't want to.  
  
Shion made a face, "His mind is active?"  
  
"Very, active." Akita emphasized.  
  
"That's not right," the engineer knelt beside chaos and gently touched his face, "but then again, chaos isn't a normal case with anything."  
  
"That I can agree with." Matthews alleged, "When we first met him down at the planet Las Morte he saved our butts."  
  
"From a gnosis attack?"  
  
The captain shook his head, "Nope, from a group of malfunctioning gang realians."  
  
"That's lovely." Allen rubbed his neck, the very thought was nerve racking. Wait a sec, what the heck are you talking about Allen Ridgley? The co- worker thought. You're inside the gnosis homeworld, what's worse than the gnosis?  
  
MOMO watched from where she sat hugging her legs. They had no idea what to contemplate other than chaos was sick, or poisoned more likely. It didn't make much sense to her either, but she atleast had an idea. So did Kos-mos. The little realian tightened her grip.  
  
"He told you? Or you found out by accident my pesch?" Albedo said quietly from behind.  
  
MOMO felt her cheeks burn, "St--!" she cut herself off, "I found out by accident. I don't know anything other than he's sick ok! And he made me promise not to tell anyone."  
  
"Ah, but alas you did." the URTV gestured with his chin over to Kos-mos, "That machine of Kevin's, good thing it is programmed well."  
  
MOMO looked up at him, "How do you know Kevin built Kos-mos? And how did you know I told her?"  
  
Albedo stroked her pink hair, "My pesch, that exchange of information we had--did a little more than just exchange."  
  
"What!"  
  
He chuckled, "It was merely a side effect my pesch, no need to become hot tempered like Rubedo."  
  
"Get away from her Albedo." Jr.'s voice was low, but filled with animosity.  
  
Albedo looked at his light half, his amethyst eyes sparkling with laughter, "As you wish Rubedo." as he passed Jr., he patted him on the head just to be annoying. Jr.'s face turned beet read, his fingers balling into fists. He stomped over and plopped down beside MOMO, glaring after his darker half. MOMO looked down at her feet. She quickly looked back up. Aparently the gnosis collected other than humans.  
  
"So what are we supposed to do now?" Tony was saying.  
  
Shion rubbed her chin, "Well," she began, "obviously we can't go back to the Elsa for anything. And we're stuck here. I don't know!" she finally admitted, "Anyone pack Ibuprofen? My head hurts."  
  
"Rest."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"We should take the time to regain our energy. Time is different on every planet, and this homeworld should be no different. For all that we know at the current moment, we haven't rested in days or so. In addition, we have no other choice but to go on so that I can fulfill my mission."  
  
"What mission?"  
  
Kos-mos turned to the chief engineer, "To destroy the gnosis completely."  
  
"That's ridiculas Kos-mos! You see all this?" Shion gestured, "This whole thing is a gnosis! How are you supposed to destroy Dead's Tear? You are only a meant to defend against the gnosis, not eliminate them completely!"  
  
"Plus you're just a prototype Kos-mos."  
  
"Shut up Allen!"  
  
"Yes chief."  
  
"chaos was leading us somewhere was he not?Kos-mos turned away from them and looked down at him, "Whatever he is taking us to, there is a possibility that it will help my mission. Get some sleep Shion, all of you."  
  
"You can't just go ordering us around! Kos-mos!" Shion called, irritation etching her face.  
  
The blue haired android turned with her back against the wall, "Standing by." her glass eyes closed and she became deadly still. Shion grunted with frustration. Allen shuffled his feet uncertainly, wondering whether or not he should speak up.  
  
"Ya know she is kind of right Shion." Hammer stretched his arms behind his head. Shion kept her back to the navigator and placed her hands on her hips, "Stuff it Hammer, let me think."  
  
Tony leaned over to hear better when Hammer started mumbling, "Sometimes she can have a worse temper than red heads." Tony winked.  
  
Shion sighed heavily. Now that she had the time to realize, she was a little tired, "Ok fine, everyone get something to eat first though."  
  
The crew began to settle down quickly. They'd picked a flat outcropping of rock to sleep on for that slight fear of being absorbed into the Acid Droplet. MOMO sat alone, her eyes distant. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize Ziggy stop in front of her. She looked up. The cyborg stared down at her for a few seconds. Before bending down and picking the pink haired realian up. Ziggy carried her over to the wall where he pulled her close, keeping one arm over her shoulders. Soon after Jr. leaned against the wall beside her.  
  
MOMO found this a surprising action for Ziggy. He, after all, didn't want to get attached to anyone since he wanted to "die completely" so to speak. All Ziggy wanted was to be rid of himself of his past memories and be gone from this world. MOMO's bright amber eyes surveyed all of her friends (with the exception of Albedo).  
  
Hammer was instantly snoring once he lay his head down, Akita laying very close by. Tony slept on her other side along with the captain. Albedo sat crosse legged just above chaos' head. Shion was the only one still standing.  
  
She pulled out a few datapads and scanned Kos-mos for any damage that might have been inflicted by the Floral Beauty. After a few mintues she finished with her check ups and put away her things. Shion was extremely worried. If Kos-mos was damaged badly they didn't have much of the necassary equipment to repair her. And if her main power cells were depleted after a battle then they couldn't recharge her since they didn't have her maintenance pod. Shion looked over her shoulder at chaos, looking peacefull yet was not.  
  
"A lot of things on your mind?"  
  
Shion looked up at Albedo, "Yes. It's all so--complicated. I don't know where any of this begins or ends. Or if anything that's happening is connected."  
  
"Push too hard on the spider web and it will break. Blow on it softly and it will hold."  
  
Shion's brow furrowed with puzzlement.  
  
Albedo gave a short chuckle, "You are trying too hard Shion Uzuki. Let everything fall into place and then it all will make sense to you."  
  
"What do you know of any of this. As far as I've figured your just a 'key' in this whole game." Shion glared.  
  
Albedo closed his eyes against the pain, "That was my roll yes. It was and stille is, a little different in the beggining though." Shion wanted to question the white haired lunatic more but she figured all she would get was more questions. So rather than confuse herself further, Shion found a place to sleep.  
  
MOMO watched all this with half closed eyes. Yes, she silently agreed with Shion, it was all so mind numbing. The little realian snuggled against Ziggy's body then fell asleep.  
  
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Roughly eight hours later, Allen moaned softly when his name was called to awaken. Tony called his name again, this time grabbing the others nose and shaking it. Allen pulled his head away disaprovingly and turned over in a pathetic attempt to escape his tormentor. Maybe he should've just gotten up. Allen didn't realize that someone's arm was around his waist and he turned his face right into Shion's. It took him a second to realize this little fact, and when he did, boy did he jump.  
  
"Ahhhh!!!" Allen's face flared red with embaressment.  
  
Shion snapped awake, "What is it! Oh, Allen stop yelling you woke me up."  
  
Everyone burst out laughing hysterically. Jr. rolled over holding his side, MOMO had to lean against the wall to keep standing. Matthews slapped Tony on the back for a job well done. Even Ziggy cracked a grin.  
  
Jr. wiped away a tear, "That was a great one Allen! Trying to make the move on your boss eh?"  
  
Allen stood up hurriedly, "That was not funny! Sorry chief. Uh, w--why were you--uh, there anyway?" he stuttered. Shion rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned, "What's wrong with where I was? I was cold so I needed someone to snuggle with." she half teased, still trying to wake up. Shion dug into her bag and pulled out her glasses. Her co-worker blushed an even deeper shade of red.  
  
"Kos-mos? I think we've had enough rest."  
  
The android opened her eyes, "Please make haste Shion. We are wasting time by remaining here."  
  
"Not so much as a 'good morning' Kos-mos? Well that's kind of rude. Besides," she glanced over her shoulder, "we don't know when or even if chaos will awaken. And he's the one who was leading us."  
  
"I am well aware of that fact Shion." Kos-mos replied, "It seems that you have forgotten that he informed you of taking us to the core of Dead's Tear. That is where we shall go since he designated it as our destination."  
  
"We still don't even know what we're up against. And since there was that Floral Beauty we've just found out that there are more gnosis that we don't know about." Shion argued, "We do not know what we're up against Kos-mos."  
  
"That's why I'm here is it not?"  
  
Startled, everyone turned toward chaos. The youth slowly opened his eyes. They were very glassy and distant, almost like he was mezmorized.  
  
"chaos you're ok!" MOMO cried in relief.  
  
He coughed, "Albedo."  
  
The URTV gripped the others hand and jerked him to his feet. chaos' gaze passed over everyone then he seemed to loose it. He couldn't focus on anything for a few moments, feeling light headed and dizzy. chaos almost fell backwards when the floor tipped heavily.  
  
"Are you sure you're fit to walk?" Akita asked.  
  
chaos regained his sense of up and down, "Yes." was the simple reply. He walked strongly passed everyone without another glance. Uncertainly, they followed. Eventually they reached a flesh wall that opened up with sickening sucking and slurping sounds to reveal a flesh set of stairs. chaos descended without looking back to be sure they were following. He didn't have to. There was no other place to go.  
  
After what seemed like long time they came to a maze of strange ships obviously not built by human hands. chaos did not hesitate of which way to turn. It was like he knew the way--or else something was guiding him that they couldn't see. One thing was for sure, no matter the twists and turns, they were always headed down.  
  
At one point chaos stopped and held his hand over his mouth. Shion stepped forword coutiosly, "Is something wrong chaos?" she saw him blow out what looked like mist when it was too cold out. Wait a second--this looked like a familiar scenario.  
  
"I'm fine." he began walking again, "It shouldn't be too far now."  
  
"What too fa--oh no." Shion exclaimed. As they rounded the corner they came face to face with another vein this time inside of the wall, "We aren't going in 'that' are we?"  
  
"There is an intricate ring of veins leading to the outer planets and then back to here." chaos explained as he pushed against the very thin skin and letting his hands sink into the gooey liguid, "For any that aren't gnosis they make the travel to the core a little more speedy."the youth sank inside before anyone could question him.  
  
Once again the crew found themselves coursing beyond lightning speed through the blood of the Acid Droplet. With zilch sense of direction.  
  
Bubbles flew from Jr.'s mouth as he gasped. chaos was standing like a road block in the raging currents. He waited patiently before lifting his gold sparkling hand and sending them flying up. Kos-mos, Ziggy, Jr. and Albedo landed gracefully on their feet.  
  
Kos-mos straightened up and surveyed their new surroundings. Here there were even more alien creatures than the ones before. The gnosis must be going for the most available source of 'income'. Before them stood four giant pits that seemed to go on forever. MOMO crawled over to peak over the edge, "We don't have to drop down these do we?" her voice echoed into the howling breeze. Ziggy pulled her away.  
  
Shion watched chaos burst from the vein and land nimbly on the balls of his feet. With hardly a pause he continued walking.  
  
She hated herself for being curious, but while they were waiting for whatever fate beheld them, Shion walked up next to Albedo, "Uh, if it's ok Albedo I'd like to ask you a question."  
  
The URTV looked down at her, amusement crossing his face, "'You' wanting to talk to 'me'? Now this is funny." he grinned.  
  
"Shion!"  
  
"Oh Jr. it's just a question." Shion turned back, hesitating for a second, "How are you able to regenerate so fast? The fastest anyone can do that is with nano bots. But they can't regenerate as fast as you can, or regenerate one's full head for that matter."  
  
Albedo laughed, "So you want to learn that little secret of mine? Very well, but you should ask chaos that, not me." this should be amusing, he thought. The silver haired youth only acknowledged that he'd heard by a slight turn of his head. Everyone waited, just as interested as a reluctant Jr.  
  
"Bondage."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I said bondage." chaos repeated, "The URTV's are a rare thing to come by due to certain incidents in the past. They were all connected until that one day correct Rubedo?" Jr. was shocked. How did chaos know what had happened?  
  
chaos continued, "Even though the main link was completely shattered in the URTV's minds a few were still bound between certain survivors."  
  
"To the point." Jr. picked up his pace so that he was behind him.  
  
"Because you are alive Rubedo, Albedo is alive. And vise versa. As long as either of you live, neither of you can die."  
  
Jr. glanced fiercly over his shoulder at his darker half, "I'm still connected to that bastard?"  
  
chaos sighed in annoyance, "Do I have to give an example? I think I do to get it in your head." Without warning the youth spun around. There was a flash of flat light that trailed the movements of his hand looking almsot like a blade. The light seemed to go though Jr.'s neck perfectly. Time seemed to stop.  
  
"JUNIOR!!!!!" MOMO eye's went wide with complete horror as her best friend's head rolled off his neck, "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"  
  
There was an outroar of sick and outraged crew memebers. Shion summoned forth her MWS without thinking and pointed it at chaos who was still in the position of striking. Abruptly there was a flurry of watery energies that sprouted from the headless body of Jr. which gathered, took form, and then vanished to reveal another head.  
  
Jr. gasped and screamed. He stumbled back into Albedo and gripped him for support. He looked scared. chaos calmly looked at all the trembling guns pointed at him. He walked over to the former head of Jr. and kicked it into one of the nearby pits, "Now you get what I mean?" he turned his back to them and continued walking towards another set of stairs leading down. Nobody moved for a good few minutes. Jr. didn't care that he was hiding in his rival's arms, he was just too flat out surprised, and scared to care. MOMO stared trembling at the trail of blood leading to the pit, holding on tightly to her guardian. Ziggy pulled her face the oposite way.  
  
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Ack! Gross gross gross gross! I can't believe it! Wait a minute i can i'm the one writing here. (smacks self on the forehead) Well, the rating has been jacked up for this, and future things. Review please! And sorry for the delay again! 


	22. Almost

Dark Hawk Wings: Yes that made sense. I have a knack for understanding things other people don't get.  
  
Chapter 22: Almost  
  
Shion stared after chaos in pure shock. Had their most trusted friend just cut Jr.'s head off!? This was unbelievable! This just wasn't possible for the kind hearted, sweet yet quiet chaos. What the heck was going on? Jr. leaned in close against Albedo who was just holding him.  
  
"How can you stand that Albedo! All that pain!" Jr. cried.  
  
The other URTV stroked his red hair, "Rubedo boy, when you become someone like me, you learn to handle things no one would want to go through." he chuckled before letting his light half go and following chaos. MOMO was instantly by Jr.'s side, holding him close.  
  
Allen hesitated before speaking, "What do we do now?" No one answered at first, silenced by what had just happened.  
  
Shion sighed, "Follow."  
  
From this point on no one spoke. No one except Albedo dared to walk close to chaos. Either too scared, or just flabbergasted by his' behavior. Whatever was being put into play, was now in play. Or else already had been.  
  
chaos continued down a cavernous hall that a luke warm wind howled through, making it hard to hear anyone that spoke. The smell of salt was very sickening here. chaos led them to another vein which took them deeper into Dead's Tear, and closer to whatever they were going to. The deeper they went, the more silence pressed in against their ears. And the greater Shion felt that they should turn back. The Song of Nephilim was steadily growing louder despite she still only barely heard it.  
  
Without warning chaos collapsed onto the floor. Albedo hurried to his side and turned him over. MOMO found this strange, he'd given no sign of fatigue at all. When the youth's face was revealed the realian gasped.  
  
A strange symbal, of two vertical pointed lines on both the top and bottom of a solid circle was fading in and out. It's colors were black, deep purple, and little sparks of blue sparks of electricity. MOMO had the feeling that something was missing.  
  
"What's that Albedo?" Shion asked, concerned deeply for their friend. chaos was staring right through the ceiling. He was continuously battling with himself. He'd promised Nephilim he'd keep awake. But it was becomming hard. The pain was so great, and the temptation to just sink beneath the waves and leave was now beginning to overwhelm chaos. The youth's long silver hair suddenly flew off his neck as invisible energy radiated from his slender body.  
  
Albedo brought a fist up into the air and punched down into chaos' stomach as hard as he could. chaos gasped as the air was knocked out of his lungs, "You cannot forfeit to this thing yet chaos," Albedo pulled the youth to his feet, "Be strong. Don't go under yet."  
  
The symbal vanished, "But it's hard." chaos suddenly looked weak, alone, and afraid.  
  
"I cannot comprehend what you are going through because you have gone through so much that not even I dare to even think. But you promised Nephilim remember." Albedo gripped his shoulders tightly. Shion was confused. Did chaos know Nephilim more than when they'd met her in the Encephalon? chaos looked but didn't see Albedo.  
  
"They're close by."  
  
Albedo raised a brow, "Who?"  
  
chaos' gaze shifted to the floor, "Them. And her. Get ready you everybody." Several ghostly blue green tentacles tore through the hard flesh floor so fast that not even Kos-mos had time to react. The first one to be taken was chaos who looked as if he wanted to resist but couldn't. Jr. started shooting but missed and was snatched up from behind.  
  
"MOMO get out of here!"  
  
The realian hesitated before turning to run. Ziggy sliced away at the tentacles but when they disapeared beneath the surface more just lashed back out. MOMO made it half way down the hall before she tripped. She glanced over her shoulder to see that one of the tentacles had wrapped around her ankle and was now dragging her back. MOMO clawed desperately in vain at the flesh ground until the thing lifted her up into the air, "Help me!"  
  
Shion struggled helplessly against her binding. She watched Kos-mos attempt to fight the things off but was eventually trapped as well. Her machinary could be heard straining heavily against the two tentacles that bound her around the waist and arms.  
  
"chaos do something! You're the one that has the power to destroy gnosis just by touching them! Why don't you do it!" Shion screamed. chaos continued to just hang there and stare at nothing.  
  
"chaos what is the matter with you! Wake up you bastard!" Tony yelled. Luckily he lived to regret his words. The tentacle released him head first then smacked him alongside his back, gut and finally the solar plexis. Tony felt the wind knocked out of him completely. Once more he was slowly raised into the air, this time by his ankles.  
  
"Are you ok Tony?" Matthews asked. The pilot was still trying to regain his air, it was a little hard with blood rushing to his head though.  
  
chaos took in a ragged breathe, "They don't appreciate that."  
  
" (cough) Appreciate (cough) what!" Tony managed to say.  
  
The youth blinked slowly, "Me being insulted."  
  
Kos-mos zoomed in on his face, "So it is true chaos. You know them and they know you. Correct."  
  
"No."  
  
"You are not making sense."  
  
"These two are not the one's I know. They never acted like this. Ahhhg!" One by one each of the crew was smashed into the floor and vanished in a flurry of sparks.  
  
At first everything was pitch black. The only thing that encouraged Shion she was being dragged down through the gnosis flesh was the tentacle that was wrapped around her waist. After a few seconds the engineer felt almost like she was in still water, her fear began to drain away as silence grew around her. It seemed that there was nothing in the universe except Shion and the inner peace that she felt. There was a glimmer of light that winked in the distance. It grew steadily into a solid beam that enveloped all of them.  
  
Shion felt a rush of air then she slammed into something tuff yet smooth to the point where it felt soft. Dazily Shion attempted to push herself to her feet but instantly fell back. Where ever they were it was where the Song was the loudest. Shion looked around blearily to see but all there was was white hot light. Once again she tried to push herself up, getting as far as rolling over onto her back. Something just in her periphreal vision cought her attention.  
  
A girl stood with her back turned to Shion. She was dressed in a strange fitting garb rimmed in torqiouse, and had a black body suit underneath. Her red three inch heeled boots reached half way up her thigh and had torqiouse patterns along the shin, her short skirt was split on either side all the way up her hips, there were also splits on her shoulders revealing the body suit beneath, and her red arm coverings covered almost her entire arms and were softly pointed on the ends. Her white silver hair was cropped short except for a lock of hair behind her ear that extended to almost her knee, held together by a torqiouse hair wrap. Shion stared at the slim figured girl. Something was out of place.  
  
Slowly the girl looked over her shoulder and opened very familiar translucent blue eyes. Shion froze, unable to turn away even if she'd wanted to. The creamy brown skinned face was so familiar as well.  
  
Something whipped past the youth so fast that all Shion could see was a blur. A breeze created by the thing stirred the girl's short hair. She released Shion's gaze, stepped as if to run then vanished in the direction the other had gone.  
  
A high pitched bell sounded clear and pure, "Shion."  
  
The Vector employee glanced over to see a girl that appeared to be a twelve year old girl, "Nephilim!"  
  
"You saw her for who she was. Now help all of them become what they lost and what all will gain."  
  
"What? What are you talking about? What's going on!" Shion's voice suddenly turned desperate.  
  
The sunset haired Guardian closed her gentle eyes, "You shall see in time. But first you must over come the worst pain anyone could bare." and then blackness rushed in like a tidal wave.  
  
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WOOT! All done here. Now I'm going to see my brother off to the Taekwondow World Championships!Don't give me that look everyone i'm only going with him as far as the airport. So you'll still be getting updates. Review please! 


	23. Demise and Truth

Cela Andromida: It says 'sorta romance-ish'. Meaning there will be some of it but not much. And it probably won't happen for awhile.  
  
Chapter 23: Demise and Truth  
  
Shion woke bleary eyed and light headed. The ceiling above seemed to be moving, and a strong breeze was blowing. The ground stretched and retracted beneath Shion who instantly was on her feet, heart thumping in fright, "W- what--." she glanced around to see that they were on top of a Cathedral Ship. The giant gnosis was sailing smoothly through a giant cavernous section of Dead's Tear. Here giant pulsing veins stretched in intricate webs, all leading to one place. In the very center of this spherical gap was what appeared to be a small planet. Its surface rippled like silvery mercury.  
  
"Is that the core?"  
  
"All my scanners are useless. This homeworld is just too big for anyone to fully examine. chaos you seem to know what we're up against, is that the core?" Akita looked over her shoulder to see the youth sitting on his knees. He was staring at the silvery ball with wide frightened eyes. The pupils of his glazed eyes had dialated to tiny specks and his colored veins seemed tobe creeping along his face faster than before. The Cathedral glided gracefully like an oversized blue whale right next to the silver bubble.  
  
"Albedo you know a lot. Is this it?"  
  
The URTV gave them a face, "I may know a lot but it's not even close to what you need. I can only guess that this is what we were looking for. Besides, the gnosis seem to want us to go inside." he almost couldn't be heard due to the howling wind. Hesitantly everyone stepped forword and began to cross the giant gnosis.  
  
After a few mintues Shion noticed they were minus a few. She turned to see Kos-mos standing next to a still staring chaos, hair snapping in the wind like a piece of the sky broken away. The android didn't do anything at first.  
  
"Kos-mos come on we have to go!"  
  
At first Kos-mos ignored her engineer's call. Then deciding that chaos was not going to move she turned to leave.  
  
"Wait..." chaos reached up and gripped her metalic hand and pulled himself to his feet.  
  
"You are not fit to even move chaos. I believe the best action for you is to stay behind."  
  
"Oh and letting a little girl like MOMO go in my place is going to help your chances of victory any? Let's just go." the sickened boy brushed passed her. He walked with just as much grace and poise as he had before the infection had begun to take over. chaos could feel his strength returning swiftly. He'd been expecting a time where his energy would be zapped completely for a time.  
  
"How do you suspect we get inside. If this is the core than I doubt the gnosis would make it easy for us to get inside." Ziggy observed.  
  
"No duh ya moron who told you that?" Matthews said sarcastically. Nervous sweat beaded his forehead.  
  
Akita examined the silvery substance with her eyes, "Perhaps we could to blast our way through."  
  
"Wouldn't that alarm the gnosis in attacking?" Allen asked.  
  
"The probabability of that is high. If this is a vital thing to them than it is more than likely they would react violently. And due to the current area, our chances of survival are zero percent."  
  
"How comfortingly obviouse Kos-mos." Allen shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.  
  
The android blinked, "Is 'comfortingly' even a word Allen?"  
  
"I was making a point Kos-mos."  
  
"You should use proper english to make a point."  
  
"You just need to learn some 'improper' english Kos-mos." Allen retorted irritably, "Jr. what are you doing?" The URTV had walked right next to the shimmering surface. He gazed at their distorted reflections that wobbled and stretched. Without realizing it till the last milla second, Jr. raised his hand till his fingers only just grazed the surface. Almost las if it was offended the silvery substance burst forth like an angry geisure and pulled Jr. inside.  
  
"Jr.!" without a thought of the consiquences MOMO rammed herself against the shield and vanished in its embrace. The surface bubble and hissed. It popped, startling almost everyone to back away. It churned then shot forword. The last thing Shion remebered was feeling like a thousand hornets were stinging her body.  
  
"Hey, chief are you ok?"  
  
Shion groaned, the figure standing above her was blurry at first, then quickly cleared, "What happened?" she held onto Allen's arm so she could stand up.  
  
Kos-mos stood close by, "That substance was a shield of some sort. Aparently nothing can pass through it without permission."  
  
"Wha--? How do you know this?" the android looked over with her empty red eyes. Shion followed her gaze to chaos who was standing away from the group with his back to them.  
  
Hesitation. "chaos?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Where are we chaos?"  
  
Again the silent treatment.  
  
"chaos!" she was getting a litte irritated.  
  
"Her lair."  
  
"Who's lair?"  
  
"Hers." chaos tilted his head back, pointing with his eyes up shallow flesh steps at what looked like a giant transparent green rose bud in the center of the cicular room. Hundreds of slim tentacles sprouting from the center and connecting to the cieling. Shion and the others stepped beside the youth.  
  
"Shion, I am detecting uncharted amounts of unidentified energy from this gnosis. It is overwhelming my circuits."  
  
"Mine as well." Akita rubbed her temples. The same with Ziggy and MOMO.  
  
"What? Turn your main scanners off." She turned, "chaos what is that thing."  
  
He continued to just stare blankly, "Why we are here."  
  
A short chuckle boomed through the air, causing the crew to bring out their weapons although clueless of where to point them. chaos tensed.  
  
"So after so long your pawns in this game have been brought to me finally chaos." the distorted female voice seemed to press against their mind more than their ears. Shion looked over at chaos. The youth was just staring, his silver hair lifting off his neck as energy once again started to radiate from his body.  
  
"Come out who ever you are! What the heck is going on!"  
  
The chuckle came again, "Shion Uzuki, there is so much to learn yet no time."  
  
It dawned on Shion to look up at the strange rose bud. The tentacles were active, they continuously pulled themselves out of the hole in the ceiling and rearranged to a different location.  
  
"What are you?" Jr. stared.  
  
Slowly the thick sticky "pedals" began to bloom, "So rude you are to the mind of all gnosis. The Gnosis Queen, I believe some know me as. I am called Yavyn Mistra." The gnosis flower bloomed fully to reveal a tall williowy "woman". She appeared to be wearing a dress but the thing was it was connected to the floor, her eyes were nothing but transparent green "whites", and what should have been her hair were the tentacles they'd seen earlier.  
  
Yavyn held out her arms, "Welcome children. To the heart of your demise." she laughed softly, but menacingly. Her mouth didn't move when she spoke.  
  
"Not if I can help it. Take this! Spell Ray!"  
  
"Charging. R-Canon."  
  
The two blasts of energy met their target and exploded in a flurry of colored energies. Shion watched the smoke begin to clear.  
  
A single clear bell note sang through the air and everything seemed to freeze. All the scenery merged smoothly into a pearl white out. Shion glanced around franticly for the others but they were no where to be seen.  
  
She turned back and was startled to see someone appearing out of fog that she hadn't realized was there. The girl had a similar although different garb than the last one she'd seen earlier. Hers was more of a form fitting tunic with slits along the hips and neck. Silver bordered her purple clothing, underneath was a full black body suite. Her creamy brown skinned face had those familiar translucent blue eyes. Thin silver hair grew down just past her hips. Shion stared.  
  
Just as smoothly as before the color returned to normal and things existed once again. Along with the scene change came a change with the girl. Her the pupils in her eyes retracted to a tiny speck, her skin paled, and green black veins appeared all over her face. Six tentacles, three on each side of her spine, writhed around her body. The dressed in red, black and tourqouise stood not far away, the same grotesque features adorning her body.  
  
What had looked like white mist had been the smoke created by hers and Kos- mos' attacks. The girl in purple was standing there, one gold sparking palm forword. She'd blocked both of their attacks no sweat.  
  
"Hey aren't those the things that nabbed us in the hallway?"Tony asked.  
  
chaos began trembling.  
  
Yavyn smiled, "This is inochi, and death." the ground shifted in front of them, "I'm sure chaos has missed them greatly." For the first time they noticed that thick shards of black glass were scattered through out the floor. half way sunken in the ground at the bottom of the steps were three black glass "coffins". The ones on the side were flawless and untouched. But the center one was completely shattered. At sight of these chaos froze completely.  
  
"Who's inochi and death?"  
  
Yavyn shifted her sightless gaze on Ziggy, "He never told you? Obviously, my enemy would never do anything to reveal their plan." one of her head tentacles snaked forword to stroke chaos' cheek, "It's been so long chaos. Are you ready to take the plunge?"  
  
chaos saw none of this. His eyes were closed, but with his inner eyes he was watching the sphere of black water boiling within his mind. The dark reflection of himself beckoned once more before vanishing.  
  
"Get away from him!" MOMO screamed as she sent her most powerfull attack at the gnosis queen. Hundreds of arrows created by light burst out of nowhere and headed straight for Yavyn, "Angel Arrow!" inochi, the long haired teen, fanned out her tentacles and absorbed each of the realians arrows. Shion noticed the two girls gloved hands, they were sparking gold just like when-- chaos was in battle.  
  
"Shion look up there." Jr. pointed with his gun at something in the ceiling. It was a Zohar! The symbol in its center was a seven pointed star.  
  
"Wait a second...." Shion squinted, "The center part of that star was glowing on chaos' forhead earlier!"  
  
"What!?" Matthews yelled. chaos blew out a full breathe of white mist.  
  
"Shion," Kos-mos stepped in front of her, "something is not right."  
  
Energy began radiating from inochi's and death's bodies. The aura they created made the entire room to shiver.  
  
"He's been gone long enough." inochi glared at them, "We want our brother back and he wants to come back."  
  
Shion blinked, "He's your--?"  
  
"Triplet to be exact." Yavyn pulled back her tentacle and placed it back where it had been, "chaos and his sisters are known by one of their many titles as the Serenity Triplets."  
  
"The Durandel has entered the outer boarder Yavyn Mistra." death spoke for the first time.  
  
"Perfect. Rubedo you have my deepest gratitude for bringing back my stolen possesions."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Yavyn laughed, "The Zohar you see before you is the 12 and final one. The Original. Unfortunately that hunk of metal is useless to me ever since chaos and his sisters absorbed its power."  
  
Jr. swore, "Gaignun. Damn it I shouldn't have let him follow us."  
  
"Yes, stew inside your guilt Rubedo you have just completed the humans demise. chaos, inochi and death hold the energy that had been inside the Original so it is vital I keep them as well."  
  
chaos threw his head back and screamed. Green light burst forth from his body filling the room. Just barely Shion watched her former friend thrash about for a minute then lift off the floor. Ghostly tentacles, just like his sisters, sprouted from his back. They didn't tear through his clothing though which was kind of odd. But then, it didn't really matter at this point. chaos was gone to them. The youth dropped once the light faded, his new "addition" writhing through the air. There was silence for what seemed to be an eternity.  
  
MOMO took a tentative step, "chaos?" Allen pulled her back. Suddenly chaos made a sound--no, he was laughing.  
  
The youth stood up, swaying like he was intoxicated. His laugh was not the shy, friendly one they knew. It was heart peircing, and disturbing. At long last he stopped, "It's been so long sisters. Why don't we have a little welcoming party for me and the friends that I've brought."  
  
"chaos!" Ziggy growled. Jr. glared at Albedo, "Do something!" the darker half shook his head in disapointment.  
  
"I think that's a splendid idea brother."  
  
In perfect sync the Serenity Triplets threw out their hands. A flash of light and their Divine Spears appeared. chaos whipped around to face the Elsa crew, his grinning face making them back away.  
  
"Engaging Combat Mode."  
  
"No Kos-mos!"  
  
Ignoring her engineer completely, Kos-mos charged her weapon and fired. Smoke billowed out just when her R-Canon seemingly met its target.  
  
"Wah! Where'd they go!"  
  
The crew turned into a sort of back to back circle when they heard a whisper beside their ear. The Triplets were no where to be found. Shion couldn't believe this. That sickness wasn't meant to kill chaos, it was meant to turn him. Shion felt an ache in her chest that threatened to overwhelm her.  
  
"Let's see death," chaos' disembodied voice echoed across the cavernous room, "What was that game I liked so much. It's been a long time."  
  
"I think we called it 'predict with blindness'."  
  
"That's the one. I think they'll enjoy this. inochi, you have the honors of going first."  
  
"They're toying with us." Jr. gritted his teeth.  
  
"Ok. Uh, what's all their names? No don't tell me, I can guess. The first one I'll nab will be....Akita!"  
  
The floor around the realian's erupted with six tentacles, entangling and lifting her into the air.  
  
"Akita!" Hammer yelled the instant the realian was jerked under, "No!"  
  
"I pick Tony, Matthews and Hammer." this was death. The three were taken in the blink of an eye.  
  
"No fare a triple take!"  
  
death stuck her toungue out at her brother.  
  
Shion stared at the spot where their friends had disapeared. She jumped and pointed her gun when something started seeping through the floor. The waves of clear energy took form of the ones they'd just lost. They all smiled and gave a two finger salute before vanishing, "Hope we've been of help you guys."  
  
"Nighty night guys and gal."  
  
The floor rippled as their screams filled the air.  
  
Shion was getting frantic now, she aimed her MWS randomly and fired but it was completely useless. These Triplets didn't need the protection of the gnosis homeworld. They were just using it to scare them.  
  
"Shion, my motion sensors seem to be malfunctioning. I cannot see where their position is."  
  
"You'll--you'll just have to try and guess where they'll pop up next."  
  
Not possible.  
  
Only if Jr. hadn't seen it out of his periphreal vision had they missed Albedo nabbed. An image of him appeared, "My role is done Rubedo."  
  
"ZIGGY! NOO!!"  
  
The cyborg attempted to resist his captors in vain.  
  
"You've shown me much that I've forgotten, MOMO." said the guardians reflection, "And for that I am greatful."  
  
"NO!" tears streamed down the little realians face as she fell to her knees and hammered her fists where Ziggy had vanished, "It's not fair! We don't have a chance of beating them! We have to get out of here!"  
  
Jr.'s grip tightened on his guns. It pained him that a friend was gone, and it hurt him even more that it was the one person that MOMO loved almost like a father.  
  
Allen looked sadly over at MOMO, even he knew it was impossible, "MOMO stop that. You know we can't get out."  
  
"No! We CAN go. Let's just get out of here while we can."  
  
"MOMO! WATCH IT!" Jr. leaped and shoved the observational realian over in time to be caught in inochi's tentacles instead of her.  
  
"JUNIOR!" MOMO stood up, "Don't worry we're not letting them get any more of us. I'll use my Dragon Rod--."  
  
"Save your energy MOaahhhhhg!"  
  
"Looks like Jr. is it instead. Welcome to the hive."  
  
Jr. strained with every last will of his entity to lift atleast one arm and place the tip of his gun right beteen her eyes, "Angelic Requiem!" inochi screamed.  
  
MOMO watched the reflection, Jr. turned halfway around, blew her a kiss and winked, "Sayonara baby."  
  
"No! Jr.'s gone too." feeling weak, MOMO fell to her knees again, "Why did WE have to be brought here?! Why did we have to have this fate!" Fighting back tears, Shion numbly bent to try and comfort her.  
  
Yavyn Mistra smiled, "Because little one. You and your friends just happened to be the keys in fulfilling Nephilim and Wilhelm's mission. A quest that I will foil, here, and now."  
  
Shion turned in time to see her life long friend vanish, "ALLEN!"  
  
"So, I guess I'll see you around, right chief?"  
  
"No!" tears falling, Shion leaped up to grab him but the image disapated like smoke. She just wante this all to end. MOMO was right, all this just wasn't fair. And now, because of whatever she'd done, all of her friends were to pay the price along with her. Shion didn't resist when she felt death's grip tighten around her body. MOMO as well just gave up. Kos-mos was the only one remaining of the group to witness their reflections. It had all happened so fast that her sense weren't able to decipher what was happening till too late.  
  
MOMO smiled that overly cheery smile, "I just wish I could be real. Don't you Kos-mos?"  
  
"Kos-mos, I've always thought of you as a little sister, or perhaps a daughter but I guess that would be going a little to far huh?" they both smiled and vanished.  
  
Alarms went off like a dam bursting within the android's nueral network. Words flashed across her sight: "ALERT! OBEJECTIVE FAILED!"  
  
"There is still one objective left that I can fulfill. There is still a 9.9 percent chance, although these odds are not to my favor, they must be attempted." Kos-mos leaped up into the air straight for Yavyn, "R-Blade!"  
  
Before Kos-mos came within ten yards of the queen she was entangled within one of their tentacles. chaos jerked the android around so that he could look her in the eyes. Kos-mos twitched. The real her inside had found enough strength to see. But that.......feeling faded as quickly as it came.  
  
chaos just leaned on one knee and tilted his head, "Complete mission failor is not tolerated to you is it Kos-mos?"  
  
"No it is not."  
  
"Well, to bad!" he jerked her high above his head, "End of the line sweet heart!" the android was slammed into the flesh, sending a shockwave throughout the core.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ----------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
Shion had a sensation of free fall. Yet she could feel the tears streaming down her face and dripping into the abyss.  
  
"Are you ready to face your past Shion?" the emotionless voice echoed across all of their conciousness, "For that is where the truth lies."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ------------------------------------------ -------------------------  
  
WOOT! There ya have it. Anyone wondering, inochi=life. It's japanese, special thanks to Remtixta for that. Review please! (OPTIONAL: if anybody wants to see what chaos' sisters look like just give me your e-mail and i'll send the pictures to you.) 


	24. Flashback Part 1: This is chaos

Cela Andromeda: All your questions will be answered through the story. ; )  
  
BIG turn of events.  
  
Chapter 24: Flashback Part 1: This is chaos  
  
'Face my past? What does that have to do with now?'  
  
Everyone was falling. Where? No one knew, or cared. All they knew was the sensation of falling in an endless void, and Nephilim's voice.  
  
"Your past, as does many, intertwines with the Triplet's. I hope that you are ready, or else the full truth of many things will remain hidden."  
  
A small flicker of light grew till it had the intensity of the sun. Shion ventured to open her eyes. She found herself standimg amidst her friends, "Hey! You're all ok!"  
  
"Cheif!" Allen hesitated but Shion jumped into his embrace.  
  
"Where are we?" Jr. looked around at the beautiful surroundings. It was like they were in a room with walls made of pearl silver and blue liquad. There was no doors or windows.  
  
"Your body is not here. This is a place I've brought you to. It's a place where your mind will be safe." Nephilim appeared out of no where.  
  
Hammer jumped, "You mean that we're not in our bodies anymore?! We're DEAD?!"  
  
The small Guardian shook her head, "No you are not, but I am saving you all from imediate undying pain. But you are not in your body either." three figures gathered into existence behind her.  
  
"AHHHHH!! IT'S THEM!"  
  
"Calm yourself please, these are not the chaos, inochi, and death that you know."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Nephilim held out her arms, "These are the cases of their memories. Memories that I took away in an attempt to keep them from going through the pain that anyone merged with Dead's Tear has to bear. I found later my action caused them to be in more pain than before. These are their life before we came here."  
  
"What do you mean by 'came here'?" Jr. asked.  
  
"You will see in time." she suddenly looked passed them. Shion looked as well. Kneeling on the floor looking like she was in great pain was Kos-mos. The only difference was, that THIS Kos-mos' armor was black, lined with red and silver.  
  
"This is the real Kos-mos. The real 'her' inside. She cannot be unlocked from her android prison until all of the laws have been merged into her unfinished soul."  
  
"Her unfinished soul? I-I don't understand."  
  
"You will in time. I just hope you are ready or you will never know." Nephilim turned to the three standing quietly behind her. They nodded, staring blankly.  
  
Before anyone knew the three had taken the formation of a trangle around the group. The Triplets lifted their arms as they began to drain away into the wind. Their features were rapidly being blown away like sand on a desert dune. Images began to pop into view then instantly vanish only to be replaced by another. Very soon the group was encased in a sphere of crazily circling blurred images. Nephilim reached out to touch the wall of the sphere, "Prepare to see the chaos that never left that coffin. And do not wander away from me. Or else you you will be lost within their soul forever." the ripples spread, silencing the ranting images and smoothing them away into a liquid sky blue. For a moment there was nothing but stillness.  
  
"Uuuh. Did something happen?"  
  
"Perhaps looking behind you would help."  
  
"Wha-ah!"  
  
Three blurs shot right through them. It was like being inside a movie, the scenery began to shift and follow the three streaks of light that had just past them. What Shion had thought was just a white blanket of nothingness turned out to be clouds perfectly smoothed out like new fallen snow. They parted like water and created rooster tails when the streaks began to skim the surface.  
  
Like the edge of the world the clouds ended and before them stretched endless miles of exotic desert. The shield of light eventually peeled off of chaos' body as he began to slow. He lowered his flight feathers and thrust his feet down in time to land perfectly, their sparkling angelic wings folded and vanished. He and his sisters continued running at speeds beyond the capability of any human or machine. In the distance mountains rose above the horizon.  
  
"Last one home's a rotten egg!"  
  
Once again their bodies were enveloped in light that trailed behind them like a comet. Sand erupted behind the trio, and plants almost had most of their leaves torn off. Shion couldn't help but think the scenery was familiar. After a moment of searching her memories, she realized it was a desert from Earth. She'd seen a picture of it before!  
  
Without warning the light in the lead came to an abrupte halt. As a result, the others rammed into him and all three fell over. Sand billowed out, engulfing the trio in a gritty mist.  
  
"Nice one chaos."  
  
death used a very harmless shockwave of energy to clear away the sand. inochi was glaring at her brother, hands on her hips, "You just have to stop when we're behind you."  
  
"Hey don't blame me girl, you two were the ones on my tail so it's not my fault." his voice was different it seemed. It still had that angelic tone, but it wasn't as distant and lucid.  
  
inochi stuck her toungue out, "I still say it's your fault."  
  
"Was not."  
  
"Was to."  
  
"Was not."  
  
"Was to."  
  
"Was not!"  
  
"Was to!"  
  
"ENOUGH!" death's scream froze her siblings in place, "You two are not going to get into one of those fights again. Last time it lasted for a half an hour!" she pressed her fingers against her temple, already getting a migrane.  
  
"Now 'that' fight chaos started just like this one!"  
  
"Oh you are so dead! I did not sta--."  
  
death snatched up both of them into a granny grip, "Honestly!"  
  
"Ok ok ok ok!" chaos flinched onto his toes trying to lessen the pain.  
  
She released his ear, "Now my little Silk Wing, why'd you stop anyway?"  
  
With the grace of a cat chaos leaped onto a rock piling and pointed, "Coming our way." his sisters joined him to look at what it was. There was nothing that Shion could see.  
  
inochi's face brightened, "Hell Hounds!"  
  
"Should we tell Nephilim about this? It looks like their teeth are poisoned." They looked at one another.  
  
"Nah."  
  
"The person that doesn't one shot atleast three has to kiss their crush!" chaos leaped of the rocks.  
  
"That's not a fair wager! Get back here!" inochi growled.  
  
death paced her sister, "Come on inochi you know you want to."  
  
"I do not!" the law bearer blushed furiously.  
  
Shion couldn't help but stare. Yep, this was definately not the chaos they knew.  
  
The Hell Hounds bounded across the sand dunes just as effortlessly as them. They were giant black dogs the size of a large stallion with soulless eyes. Venom dripped in deadly drops from their drool. chaos stopped at the bottom of the steep dune and summoned forth his Divine Spear. The leader of the pack crouched and leaped, teeth bared, hackles raised.  
  
Just right before the demented dog reached him, chaos pulled back his spear and threw it right into the beast's chest. The weapon glided smoothly through its flesh and right between the eyes of the second one.  
  
"Let's get to it eh?" inochi's long hair flew up as purple light spiraled around her body, "Lovely Destruction!" she pointed and the divine energy shot forword and disinigrated five of the hounds instantly.  
  
death's eyes glazed over with the night sky, "Star Shower!" blazing balls of light shot from her radiating body and pulverized her targets, splattering blood in every direction.  
  
A circle of symbols apeared in front of chaos. They burst with light when he touched them, then gathered into silver flame, "Lunar Seal!" the Hound's yelp was cut off when it fell to the ground as ashes. He smiled, satisfied. inochi glanced over at the distant mountains, "Ah crap I think we're late." without another word the Serenity Triplets dashed away from the bloody carnage they'd created.  
  
Dream Haven their home was called. It was a forest with homes carved right inside the the mountain side and in the forest. Nestled comfortably high in the mountains could be seen a glittering temple. The forest was beautifully exotic, the palm and vine trees provided shade in the comfortably warm summer air. Sand was sprinkled along the ground, soft and warm. An clear watered lake could be seen sparkling through it's protective friends the trees. The Triplets slowed down when the entered the outskirts and settled to a normal walk. chaos stretched his arms behind his head, a familiar gesture to the crew. inochi nudged him and he gripped her's and death's hands. They walked in silence for awhile, listening to the leaves rustle from the firm but gentle breeze.  
  
chaos savored the moment of silent love. There were no polatics here. No complicated rules, only the important ones. From a scientific point of view their home on the outside would be considered primitive. But looks were decieving.  
  
"Oh chaos!" a female voice called in sing song, "You might want to come here and take a look at this."  
  
"This what Nyima?" he looked up at a teen about the age of seventeen sitting on top of someone's roof. She had a kind of odd garb on, or atleast to the Shion anyway. Nyima was wearing a metalic blue halter top, white shorts, baby blue cloth ankle boots, buckles were strapped various parts of her arms and legs, and hanging loosely from a leather strap off her hip was half a knee length skirt. Her long hair was pitch black with streaks of blue and pinned up into a bun, a few loose bangs fell over her flourescent green eyes.  
  
"I think the Fallen are on the move again for another attack." there was no trace of worry in her.  
  
chaos rolled his eyes, "Have someone keep an eye on it. I doubt they would retaliate this fast."  
  
"Ok." she stood up, "When's the event at the Arena going to happen anyway?"  
  
inochi rolled her eyes, "We just got here after being out for days and we know more of what's going on than you. That is so sad Nyima."  
  
Nyima glared, "Hey you didn't have to be in the Watch Tower lucky you. Just keeping track of things is brain numbing enough."  
  
"That's no excuse."  
  
"I'm going to have to agree with my sister on this one." death joined in.  
  
"Aww come on death you've had my job before back me up here!"  
  
"Nope I don't think I will."  
  
"Why you little--!"  
  
chaos backed away without being noticed, smiling nervously as he did. Never get between girls and their jobs.  
  
"Psst! Silk Wing!"  
  
The youth turned but saw no one.  
  
"Up here man."  
  
chaos glanced over at his arguing sisters before spreading his arms and bounding up a thick vine to the top of a nearby tree. Sitting on a limb was his friend called Crescent. He was a sort of book lover but he was especially into gothic stuff like vampires and dragons. So in his abilities he sort of went after a vampire. Almost. He was still the same guy though.  
  
"What's up Cres?" chaos high fived with him.  
  
"Nothing much." he scooted over to give his friend some room, "I went combing today and looky what I found." he held up a black box filled with what looked like cd cases.  
  
chaos' eyes lit up, "Awsome! We could use those today at the event!"  
  
"That's what I was thinking bro." he glanced over at the still arguing girls with his pearl grey eyes, "Having trouble with the ladies are we?" Cres grinned.  
  
chaos rolled his eyes, "Don't even go there! They fight over the littlest things. I swear if they keep on doing this I'm gonna die of annoyance." he sighed heavily.  
  
"Let's see if I can do anything for ya. Here, " he thrust the case playfully hard into chaos' gut, "hold this while I use my charm."  
  
The two dropped out of the tree and walked back over to the cat fight. Cres cleared his throat loudly, "Hey girls what's up?"  
  
In unison inochi and death turned, "What!"  
  
"The sky." Nyima retorted.  
  
Cres grinned up at her, "You are completely right Nyima, compltely right. But my term of 'what's up' is what's going on?"  
  
inochi curled her fingers into fists. chaos shifted uncertainly from one foot to the other. His sister almost didn't care what kind of attention she got, so long as Cres payed attention to her.  
  
death scratched her head acting dumb, "What were we arguing about again?"  
  
"I don't remember. Was it we were fighting over who was a heavy user?"  
  
Nyima shook her head, "No it was something else."  
  
Cres clapped his gloved hands, "Well since it's over let's not start it up again shall we?" he winked at inochi who straightened up, cheeks burning rosey red.  
  
Then again, chaos gave another nervous smile, when she did get his attention she didn't know what to do. inochi was the youngest of the trio, yet she acted younger than she really was.  
  
How did they get on the topic of being a heavy user? Cres asked himself. Oh well, girl's minds have sly ways of getting WAY off topic sometimes, "Yo Silk Wing come with me and we'll take the cd's to the Arena." he turned to inochi, "And my beautiful Moon Ray I hope to get see you this time ok?"  
  
"Y-ya." she stuttered, half hiding behind her sister. death looked past Cres and shrugged at chaos who rolled his eyes and shrugged as well. As soon as the two boys were out of sight inochi attempted to run.  
  
"Not so fast you little dust devil! You need to learn how to be in love with someone, and he just gave you a chance. Now you are not going to run off or avoid him this time." death strained to hold onto her sister's arm.  
  
"No I'm not and you can't make me. Let go!" inochi managed to slip out of the other's grip. She didn't get far before a lashing sound snapped through the air and a golden whip line wrapped around her feet.  
  
"Waah oof!" inochi placed her head in her hand, "I hate you, you know that."  
  
"What else is new?"  
  
Cres set his findings down carefully into a box, "Gosh we've got a lot in here."  
  
"The more the merrier." chaos smiled, "Personally I think that humans are brilliant in making stuff like these" They were just outside of a huge set of obsidion double doors built right under an overhang cliff of the mountain. The Arena was just below the Guard's Temple nestled in the peaks, overlooking the splended sight of Dream Haven. The sun was setting, its slanting orange red rays making the mountain blush with a brilliance of color.  
  
"It's so quiet sometimes." Cres mused gently.  
  
"And that's a bad thing?"  
  
He shrugged, "No I like it," his fine lined features suddenly turned glum, "But lately--it makes me feel like no one's there. Like all have become extinct except for me." Cres shook his head, "It's just that little fear inside of me that's all. We've been fighting for so long, and it's becoming more and more dangerous for us phoenix's."  
  
"I know the feeling. It clenches my throat and threatens to make me go insane. But we can't let that get to us, we're adapting just as fast as the Fallen are." chaos tried to be positive.  
  
Cres smiled sadly, "I just can't believe that the Fallen would do such a thing to their own people. And for what? Just some ability that was stolen from all of us long ago." he gestured up in the general direction of the Temple.  
  
"We don't even know what it is. Probably only the Guardian knows what it is anymore, it was so long ago that probably even Wilhelm has a hard time remembering it."  
  
Shion blinked, "Phoenix? Wilhelm? What is going on? Wilhelm is me and Alan's head boss."  
  
"Shhh." Nephilim hissed gently, "All in good time, all in good time. But to answer your first question, the Phoenix is our race. Yes we don't strike you as the type, any of you that have seen your old folk lore see a pheonix as a majestic bird and not angelic huminoids." she added at their questioning looks, "Pheonix is just a name, it is not a specific thing. We cannot die, and never will. As your stories say, when a pheonix dies it rises from the ashes to live on once again. That is true. But unfortunately, we have our weaknesses just as everyone else does." she turned back to the scene which had shifted to night time. Shion gave her a side long glance. There was a little more that Nephilim had not said.  
  
The Guardian smiled, "You wish to know more Shion?"  
  
"Huh? How did you know--."  
  
"I exist here through your consiousness. I feel everything you feel and what your friends feel." Kos-mos stared at her forlornly, "What bit I didn't say is that a phoenix can choose to die and then wake up to relive-- not his or her former life, but a completely new one. Where they have no memories of their past, what they did, who their friends were, loved ones, nothing. Memories are what makes a person that someone."  
  
MOMO shivered, "How could anybody choose to die?"  
  
Nephilim turned and lifted the little realian's chin, "Sometimes one has lived so long and seen so much that they can't stand living anymore. We are immortal however, so we just start over completely." she said softly, "I know you can't really understand that MOMO. But when you reach the end of your hopefully long and lovely life, then you will have some what of an understanding."  
  
"Where is all this?" Shion changed the topic, "It has similarities to Earth."  
  
Nephilim closed her eyes, "Your Mother, Earth. Our existence can shift just by thought, and we prefer it in your Earth's relative image."  
  
'Our existence'?  
  
Even in the dark Dream Haven was an illustrious sight. Moonlight glinted off the leaves of the trees, making them shimmer each time a breeze pushed through. The sandy streets of the part jungle city were empty except for a few stragglers. Most of the phoenix's were heading to the Arena where they gathered every week or more. These events were known as Crystal Raves.  
  
The obsidion doors had been swung wide open to reveal the Arena as a giant cave made completely of white opal and granite. Crystals of what looked like raw topaz evenly lined the walls, their pastel yellow aura splashing across the glittering walls. The ceiling above the huge center floor rose high, making the cave seem even bigger in feeling.  
  
chaos stood at the door seeming to be looking for someone. He stood on his toes once in awhile to get a better look, he was by far not a one of the tall ones. He spotted one of his friends, "Mei! Hey Mei!" he ran up to a phoenix with short green hair and an odd garb.  
  
"Hey Silk Wing who ya looking for?"  
  
"Have you seen Keteya?"  
  
"Keteya? She went up to her grove this morning and didn't come back. She must have lost track of the time."  
  
"Ok thanks." chaos waved to her and bounded up the side of the mountain. They still had time, the Rave wouldn't actually start for an hour. As the young phoenix made his way up a ridiculously steep cliff face he noted the change in the air. Here the forest was less tropical but just as beautiful, it had that feeling of secrecy. Many found that this was a good spot to meditate if you wanted to be completely alone.  
  
chaos leaped over a felled tree. The instant his feet tapped the ground on the other side his keen hearing picked up something: music. Someone was playing the flute. Following the trail of beautiful notes the law bearer practicaly glided across the forest floor. The moss glittered with dew, and little flowers closed their pedals as they settled down to sleep.  
  
Moonlight glanced off a meadow in the distance. chaos slowed his steps when he saw Keteya sitting on a boulder shading a deep clear pool bordered by jutting amethysts. Standing quietly listening to the phoenix was a unicorn. The mare's coat shimmered like quicksilver in the light, it's crystillian pearl horn glittered with brilliance. At the sight of chaos she snorted, turned and dashed silently away.  
  
Keteya pulled the instrument from her lips, "Pretty isn't she?" her face remained hidden. All Shion could see was long crystillian white blue hair that reached her waist and was pulled up in a high ponytail.  
  
"Yes she is. Although I think they prefer the female touch."  
  
Keteya stood up, leaving her flute where she'd set it, "Humans have such wonderful minds don't you think. They've created such beautiful creatures that do not exist, I feel sorry for them." chaos hugged her around the waist and kissed her neck, "But they exist in their hearts."  
  
"Yes. It's just not the same though as when you meet them in person." Keteya turned her face and both gave a short kiss. When the pulled away, Shion and the others were a little bit stunned at who's face it was.  
  
Kos-mos'.  
  
This didn't make sense!  
  
"Is the Crystal Rave tonight?" she asked as they walked away from the glade. The flute remained glittering in the grass.  
  
"Yes it is. How could you forget?"  
  
Keteya smiled, and with Shion used to Kos-mos' emotionless face it was an odd sight, "I didn't forget, I just needed to do some alone time that's all."  
  
"I know what you mean. It's just after awhile of being away from my sisters- -it's weird for me." the youth gripped her hand.  
  
"Considering your special bond, plus being law bearers, I'd think so."  
  
chaos made a face, "Being a law bearer sucks. You can't be there in the front lines with your friends in battle, you're only a last resort."  
  
"That is now. Back then we didn't have to worry about the new weapons."  
  
"Ya I know."  
  
When the two reached the Arena most everyone was inside waiting eagerly for their favorite part. Keteya yelled over at their friend who was standing by a huge stone box, "Hey Cheel let's party up already!" Everyone yelled in agreement. Cheel, a golden blonde haired phoenix with sky blue eyes nodded. He gestured and three others gathered loads of cd's out of the box while he picked up a cut diamond sphere the size of a large bowling ball. They walked to the center of the floor through eagerly waiting friends.  
  
Cheel held out the sphere, and after a moment it lifted on its own to the highest point in the cavernous ceiling. There was a loud click as something opened. A single shaft of moonlight shined down into the diamond and split into thousands. A high pitched note sang through the air and the sphere began to spin. The garnet lights dimmed to almost nothing. The three boys that held the cd's threw them into the air. They spread out in random positions around the sphere and began to spin on their axis. Except for one that began to roll. Rock music boomed across the cavern.  
  
Nephilim actually smiled, "Party animals."  
  
In sync the group on the floor began to dance. They spun and leaped, their bodies writhing in perfect beat. It was the oddest sight to see their lucid, aloof chaos dancing like this. Actually, no, this wasn't their chaos.  
  
"Definately not our chaos." Hammer mumbled as if reading her thoughts.  
  
The room heated up with the dancers energy. It became hard to tell who was who anymore but it didn't seem to matter to the young phoenix's. It almost seemed they were in a trance.  
  
After quite a few songs by some unheard signal the girls left the main floor. It was what they called Dance of the Sexes! To see which one could cook up the best dance. Although it was unfair judging, no one cared they were just there to have fun. Linkin Park music was being used this time: Forgotten.  
  
They started off with a few twirls and then started getting wild. What was amazing was that they just made up the stuff on the spot, no practicing or anything. They just 'felt' what eachother was doing to coordinate what they were doing which usually worked. Blue energy traced chaos' hands movements as he took the center of thr group. He pulled off fast and furious and ended the song with flying colors. Now the girls turn.  
  
Pushing Me Away.  
  
Keteya had center with Nyima and Mei on either side of her. They marched in place for a few steps before stopping, throwing out one arm and rolling their necks. They remained loose and gracefull as silk through till the faster part of the song came then the fun began. Their bodies writhed and spun, turning the heads of their crushes and loves.  
  
Faint.  
  
This dance was mixed and chaos instantly sought out Keteya. Shion watched the pair talk for the duration of the break. Try as she might, it was just flat out hard to convincer herself that it was not Kos-mos. The difference was that in this girl, her face was filled with intelligence and beauty. Just like Kos-mos, but the android was void of any shown emotion unlike Keteya. Another thing Shion found similar was the phoenix's clothing.  
  
Couples went fast and furious, pulling eachother around, spinning about, and getting a little closer than usual. chaos and Keteya were easily the most enthusiastic of the whole thing. They unknowingly took center floor where they were given the most space. At some point during the song Enya- Matrix Theme(Techno remix) chaos lifted her by the waist and spun around, time slowed down to them all.  
  
Kos-mos watched them closely. Never in her short life as both android and life pulse had she seen chaos ever laugh, dance, or smile like that-- anything he did before them actually.  
  
Shion blinked and realized her mouth was hanging open, "So this is chaos before he met us?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
Nephilim nodded, "He is very young at this time. Most of who you see now were newly born phoenix's not long ago--by our standards. The elders are kept here at Dream Haven for their wisdom is needed." she looked at Shion with tired eyes, "We'd never feared going into battle. But ever since the Fallen had found away, we've became very afraid. For longer than even I know we've never known what is after the blessing of life. All that we have caught a glimps of was when we die then are reborn. If we do see if there's an afterlife for us then we don't remember. We are very afraid of what's beyond--or if there's any beyond at all." suddenly Nephilim, a strong minded guardian and guide for Shion and Kos-mos looked alone and vulnerable.  
  
"Who are these 'Fallen'?" Allen wondered.  
  
"They are the same as us. Merely a rebellion that went out of hand."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"All in good time, all in good time."  
  
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Oh boy my friend is gonna kill me! Gosh, chaos sure is different wouldn't ya'll say? Hehehe. Review please! (hides behind wimpy chair) don't kill me folks! 


	25. Flashback Part 2: Fallen are Familiar

Chapter 25: Fallen are Familiar  
  
The Crystal Rave raged on late into the night but none seemed at all exhausted. Cres and chaos headed from the dance floor back to the entrance where there was a large space meant for feasting or just hanging out. Along the wall was a bar made up of the opal shelves and a smooth counter. A phoenix with lightning white hair and emerald eyes, Noropay, slip one wine bottle down the counter which the recipient cought easily.  
  
"Hey Cres, chaos. What can I get for ya on this fine night?"  
  
"Just two shots Noropay. Looks like you're gonna have to go combing soon." Cres added as his eyes scanned the shelves. At the other end of the bar was Noropay's girlfriend Shuri, a feisty girl that didn't let anyone touch her without permission.  
  
Noropay shrugged, "That's ok, combing is fun especially when there's a few of the human's made up nasties around. You have to fight for your findings then. Here." he slid two small glasses across, "Just so long as no one decides to go to Margaritaville and back, I think we'll be fine till I can get out there to comb."  
  
"So long as they're not Fallen." Cres frowned.  
  
The barkeeper gave him a stern gesture, "Hey man, don't you dare bring up anything about the Fallen tonight got that? Right now you shouldn't even be worrying about that."  
  
chaos gulped down his shot, "True." he didn't add what he had been about to say. Each side was unpredictable most of the times, and so you always had that nagging feeling in the back of your head.  
  
Before Cres could bring his glass to his lips someone tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey Cres wanna see who can get the shot down first?" this was Carnico, one of the more younger phoenix's.  
  
"Ok, your count."  
  
"1...2...3!"  
  
Cres swung his cup forword, set the cup down, grabbed Carnico's and downed his before he was over the suprise.  
  
Cres grinned at him, "You never said 'who's' shot to down."  
  
Carnico raised a brow,"Your good Crescent, your good." he began wiping his face with a napkin that Noropay had handed him.  
  
"Never mess with Cres when it comes to games. He will twist the rules and beat you sore." chaos grinned from where he was sitting.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." Carnico smiled before turning away.  
  
"I don't think I've ever seen chaos drink any alcoholic beverage before." Hammer wondered aloud.  
  
"That's because he didn't--or atleast with us anyways." Matthews grunted.  
  
The boys stood there talking and laughing for awhile before chaos pointed behind his best friend, "Hey, there's inochi over there with Nyima."  
  
Cres glanced over his shoulder then back, "You wouldn't mind would ya chaos buddy?"  
  
"If it'll keep her off my neck, go right ahead. Just don't try anything that upsets my baby sister." he poked him. chaos watched Cres sneak up on her and tap her on the shoulder. He must have said something because usually the little "angel of life" turned around to smack who ever it was. But this time she stiffened up like a soldier standing at attention. The youth couldn't see her face, but he could see Nyima's, and right now it was sneering playfully. Cres turned a blushing inochi around so that he could talk to her eye to eye.  
  
chaos didn't get to watch long enough to see what other reactions she made because someone socked him on the shoulder, "Oh you wanna fight huh Gigame'? Haha!" chaos tackled the other phoenix and an all out wrestling match erupted. Shion couldn't help but laugh slightly. She was still getting accustomed to this new chaos.  
  
"Boys. Always have to pick a fight somewhere." Keteya said, shaking her head at her love's kidness. She was sitting with death, Mei, and by now Nyima who plopped down on the huge velvet pillow beside her.  
  
"Can't blame em. They're boys!" death retorted. She sagged deeper into her cusion and tried to relax.  
  
"Anything on patrol death?"  
  
The law bearer opened an eye, "Nay, just some Hell Hounds that chaos spotted. Good flight though, it really stretched my wings."  
  
Keteya leaned forword to snag a few pitted cherries from the bowl in the center of the low table and popped one into her mouth, "And what about Nyima, how's the Watch Tower?"  
  
"Still watching. I was lucky to get someone to fill my space."  
  
Keteya swallowed, "But you're still watching with them right?"  
  
The blue black haired phoenix rolled her eyes, "Of course I am, computer geek, Eyes of Truth, who better to manage the Watch Tower but me?"  
  
death sat up, "Another one with True Sight. Everyone has their own special gift. You True Sight, Mei has a thing with fire, Crescent with charm, and Keteya with spirits."  
  
"And what's your's and your siblings?" Mei asked.  
  
The law bearer thought a moment before shaking her head, "Honestly, I don't know. Atleast not specific individual talents. All I know is, we extend my brother's power and fine tune it."  
  
"Ah I remember, like that one time when we first found out of the Fallen's new weapon."  
  
death drew circles on the floor with her finger, "Something like that." Nyima suddenly snapped her head up, pupils dialating and contracting almost like a robots.  
  
chaos was shoving another off of him when he noticed Nyima, Keteya and his sister running out the doors, "Gotta go." he informed no one in particular. On his way he snatched up inochi's wrist, inturrupting a rather smooth conversation with Cres.  
  
"chaos! Where the freakin' heck are we going!"  
  
"To the Watch Tower I think." he kept running.  
  
"You just ruined our lovely night you know that, right chaos?" Cres managed to pace him.  
  
"Ya I know, it's an older brother's job to crash his little sister's first date."  
  
Outside the air was a little cooler than normal but still at a comfortable temperature. The night sky was bright with glittering stars and full moon. Angelic pearl white wings sprouted from the trio's backs and they leaped vertically into the air. chaos felt his stomach give that familiar lurch that he always enjoyed at lift off. He pumped his wings strongly once, and propelled himself even further upward. They flew close to the mountain cliff face, swiftly ascending into the colder air of their home. One peak stood apart from the main chain of mountains, and it was by far the highest. Eventually the rough stone twisted into an elegantly crafted tower. Runes were chissled around the base of it. Flowing with the harsh air current, chaos circled once with it before landing on the stone walkway jutting out.  
  
The Watch Tower was a singal circular room with polished obsidion terminals fitting the walls. At first glance you would think they were just slanted tables, but they were more than that. In the very center of the room was a raised platform with water in being held in by jutting amethysts around the edges.  
  
Nyima was standing at one of the terminals shifting different shaped, flawlessly cut jewels across its surface. Another phoenix, the one that was filling in for Nyima, was across the room making her own adjustments.  
  
"Ah so 'this' is what the Watch Tower looks like from the inside." inochi mused aloud, "So what's up Nyima? It's not the Fallen is it?" in all of her life she'd never been nominated to work in the Watch Tower.  
  
Cres ran a hand through his white blonde hair, "Ok our night's ruined."  
  
Nyima brushed past death and Keteya who'd been looking over her shoulder, "I hope it's not what I think it is." she changed the positions of two rectangular emeralds. The strange runes, shapes and symbols changed slightly.  
  
She hissed, "Yioma why didn't you tell me this earilier?"  
  
"I didn't know it would damage the pool otherwise--."  
  
Nyima completely ignored the rest as she turned to another panel and began placing the crystals in different positions. After a moment of calculation the terminal began to glow from the inside. The hard surface rippled as a new amethyst shard was pushed out. The annoyed phoenix bent beside the pool and, after close examination selected one to slowly pull out.  
  
"Out with the old, in with the new." she mumbled. Once the uncracked one was set the pool began to give off a low hum, "Let's hope it's not what I think it is." Nyima stepped ontp the surface of the deep water and stood in the center, "Back up you guys." The room went black abruptly.  
  
Nyima lifted off the water, her eyes glazing over with a brilliance of color. Ripples continualy echoed across the calm surface. A graphical sphere made up of bright lime green lines formed around her. Statistics of their realm began to form, of all the animals, all that was approaching and leaving, everything. The jewels on the terminals began moving on their own accord. Nyima began selecting with a simple touch on the hologram. It was like a more complicated so to speak version of their own computers.  
  
chaos squinted, "Hey, zoom in on that." Two half square lines joined together to create a targeting cross. The image grew, but it was still unrecognizable.  
  
"Zooming in again, bringing up contrast, and sharpening image." Nyima's voice was almost robotic. She fiddled wth a few strange code shapes that only they understood and the results cleared.  
  
Cres smacked the side of his head, "I knew it."  
  
"Everyone head back down to the Haven. Yioma, take the battle flute and sound it."  
  
"Got it." Yioma grabbed what looked a flat ended, elegantly crafted pipe and dove out the window. In the roaring wind she steadied herself as best she could, widening her flight feathers so that she hovered in place. Yioma took the pipe and blew. At first there was nothing to be heard. Then, a note that sounded like a wet finger on the edge of a wine glass gew louder and louder till it filled the air with an ear splitting screech.  
  
"Fallen! They're coming, and they're coming fast!" inochi screamed as they dove down to the entrance. Instantly the Arena was emptied and the pheonix's spread their wings and took flight. The night air was tense suddenly as each of them landed at the outskirts of the jungle like forest. They all turned in time to see four giant winged figures dive out of the Guard's Temple. They easily covered the distance in a few strong beats of their wings. Three of the four surprised the crew of who they were.  
  
In the lead was a calm faced Wilhelm, to his left was Cherankov, and to the right was Virgil and another man they didn't know.  
  
"Wilhelm....Cherankov....they're both phoenix's? How is this possible!" Shion cried.  
  
Nephilim closed her eyes, "Everything will fall into place Shion." it was apparent that the Guardian was not going to 'tell' them everything. Just show them who chaos had been back then.  
  
"Ezekiel."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's his full name. Ezekial Cherankov. Have you ever noticed no one, not even his high superiors had his first name. The Elder for some reason didn't want to give it out. But then, he's always been the shy type sometimes--or shall I say scared."  
  
Wilhelm pointed towards the dark horizon, "Do not let them get close to Dream Haven. Go!"his voice didn't even raise above its normal void tone. As one being the young phoenix's sprinted out into the exotic desert till they were nothing more than a wave of light careening across the ground. Not more than four hundred miles from Dream Haven, the wave of light clashed with another wave and an all out battle began.  
  
chaos came to a very sudden stop when Wilhelm appeared out of nowhere and yanked him off his feet by the back of his vest collar, "You know the rules very well chaos, all three of you." he glanced over at his sisters who were being set back down by Vigil and the other man, "You will wait until they need you." chaos crossed his arm in an almost pouty kind of way while glaring at the Elder. Wilhelm set him down without another word.  
  
Explosions shook the ground, flashes of light filled the night sky, screeches of pain filled the air, and blood painted the ground sticky black. chaos scrunched his nose in disgust. Not at the gore, but at the smell of poison in the air.  
  
In just a few short minutes a heavenly paradise had turned into a hellish wasteland.  
  
Shion stared. Never had she seen any sort of battle at this degree of violence and brute force. Then again....she'd never seen huminoids capable of such destruction with their bare hands before. Had she been in her body, she would have thrown up five times over. Ditto for most of the others.  
  
An orca like call pierced all the pandemonium. Wilhelm turned to see troves over troves of every kind of gnosis closing in from the left side of the battle, "They're going to try and tire us out with this battle," he looked at the Triplets, "so they can strike us as weak after."  
  
Faster than the human could register, chaos, inochi, and death became comets exploding across the ground towards the new threat. The three constantly cut in front of each other like they were fighting for first place, then before anybody realized it, the Serenity Triplets had lifted off the ground and where now circling in a verticle formation. Strange symbols appeared as their energies connected one another, "Ready." something in the center of them began to spark, "Tri Beam!"  
  
A solid beam of energy made up of rules too complicated for any human to understand burst forth and obliterated the entire first line of the gnosis army.  
  
'They swarm like flies to a carcuss.' death spoke in thought.  
  
'Beautiful observation sister.' inochi retorted.  
  
chaos lifted his arms, body radiating with raw deadly magic. His sisters mirrored his movements, "Meteor Shower!" the attack brought hundreds of giant blazing meteors from the sky and pulverized the center lines of the gnosis. Still they kept coming. A few humanoid Floral Beauties sprouted insect like wings and came after the Triplets, tackling out of their formation before they could charge for another Tri Beam. chaos lost track of his sisters as he wrestled the huminoid gnosis in midair. He recieved many deep claw scratches and bite marks aimed for his neck but ended up on his shoulders. The youth beat his wings hard in a desperete attempt to get his vicious enemy off.  
  
death smashed the Floral Beauty into the ground, creating a small crater. Her eyes blinked rapidly with red light. The gnosis screeched in frustration but instantly went still, disapated into dust and vanished once she looked into death's eyes.  
  
There was a crack of a whip and death was jerked into the air from her neck, "Hello sweatie, having fun playing the Gimreaper?" death kicked at Pelligri's face as she flipped back onto her feet.  
  
"Golden Noose!" her yellow glowing whip lashed out and the Fallen caught it.  
  
"You've grown a bit in spirit shall you say?" Pellegri strained a little, trying to keep the other phoenix from pulling her forword.  
  
"Yes, grown up to kick your sorry butt you rebel. You don't even know what's inside that temple, no one does. Why do you and your friends want it so badly."  
  
The Fallen gave a mad, almost possessive grin, "That ability inside of that temple was stolen from all of us long ago. It was forcefully taken, it rightfully belongs to us! Are you not curious death? Don't you want to know what was stolen from us all?"  
  
death glared, "Whatever is inside, was put there for a reason Pelligri. And I have no intention of finding out what." she turned her face just in time to feel the sharp breeze of an arrow graze her cheek, "Honestly, you guys should know better than to try and kill me and my siblings. It would endager both sides."  
  
Pelligri turned and glared at the one who'd fired. Most of their weapons were tipped with poison, and poison crystals. This was one of the rare and only things that a phoenix had to truly fear. death took the chance to snap her whip out her rival's loosened fingers, "I hope you're ready." bronze colored energy spiraled around her slim figure up to the hand she extended to the sky, "Beautiful Oblivion!" death smacked her palm against the earth and sent the energy burning across the ground straight at Pelligri.  
  
Wilhelm could see that the Serenity Triplets, now seperated would not be of much help. His wings spread out of thin air, lifting him off the ground with not even a single thrust. The others followed.  
  
Wilhelm closed his crimson eyes, "Gate of Destiny." a vertical circle of glittering water literaly bubbled into exsistence. The ground shook violently. Phoenix's couldn't be affected by this ability, but gnosis could. Just like when Kos-mos absorbed them with her X-Buster the army of gnosis vanished without a strain. This was the quickest way, but now Wilhelm was drained and couldn't do anything else but watch now.  
  
'death, chaos, inochi it is time to come back to me.'  
  
'That's not fair! We wanna fight!'  
  
'To me, now.' his voice was the same tone as it had always been. Very reluctantly, inochi and chaos rid themselves of their attackers and headed back. death however was not about to give up on her fight with Pelligri.  
  
'death, you will come back now!' that was Virgil.  
  
Once again the law bearer ignored the Elders and kept fighting.  
  
'Stop death! Pelligri isn't worth it she's just egging you on!' inochi pleaded.  
  
"Hey witch! Have you looked in the mirror lately? I think you need to fix your make up, here I've got the mirror just for you!" death lifted her hands and a mirror created of liquid solidified, "Illustrious Image!" Everything to Pelligri went invert as her reflection cracked and shattered. She fell to her knees in a daze. Someone leaped over her still form and sent a solid beam of light straight through death's heart. The light made it hard to see, but Shion could just see that it was Margulis.  
  
Everyone froze where they were. The fighting stopped imediately. chaos and inochi stared wide eyed at their sister. All Wihelm did was feel a twinge of annoyance. death's body sagged heavily--no wait, she wasn't falling, she was disinigrating! The phoenix disapated into a pile of metalic black ash. There was nothing but dead silence.  
  
Without warning something gigantic burst out of the small pile and screeched. The light enveloped the entire field until nothing could be seen but a nothingness of white.  
  
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I have nothing to say really. Me just go sleepy bye bye cause I'm sleepy from staying up too late. Review please! 


	26. Flashback Part 3: It Begins

Cela Andromeda: She was killed  
  
Chapter 26: It Begins

There was something........  
  
But it was too bright to make out. No, there, the light was slowly draining away to reveal an egg. It cracked ever so slowly--then shattered.  
  
death attempted to wake up but sleep kept her mezmerized. Stubborn, the pheonix forced her eyes open. She stared up at the silk canopy of her bed for a long time. death mused on the rescent events, wondering what had been the results. She also wanted to know why the Fallen had retaliated so soon. The Fallen were just their own people becomming obsessed with whatever was in the Guard's Temple. death turned her head to see Cheel standing there watching her.  
  
"What happened? Did anyone--die?"  
  
"You mean besides you?" Cheel retorted in a harsh, sarcastic tone, "Mei was taken to the beyond, we didn't get her back here in time to save her. And there are others but I would rather not recall the list."  
  
death turned away, feeling tears slide down her cheeks. Each time there was a battle, they always lost somebody. She opened her eyes, suddenly thinking of her brother, "Tell me that Keteya wasn't one of them."  
  
"No she wasn't." came the instant reply, "I'm surprised you still care for anything other than your pride." Before he knew it death had leaped out of bed and had him by the throat. Her normally calm translucent blue eyes had turned icy cold, "You don't know Pelligri got that! And don't ever let me catch you saying that again. Get it?"  
  
"Got it."  
  
"Good." she released him, "Now where's chaos and inochi?"  
  
Cheel gestured towards the door, "I think last I saw them they were headed for the nursery."  
  
"Thank you." she took a step and realized her body was numb and trembling slightly.  
  
"Do you need some help?"  
  
death shoved his hand away, "No I don't."  
  
Cheel shrugged, "Whatever. After your done trying to talk to them, Wilhelm wants a little chat with you." the phoenix leaped onto the window sill and took off.  
  
Trying to talk to them.......  
  
"They must not be happy with me." death mumbled to herself.  
  
Outside the feeling in the air was no longer relaxed and filled with joy. It was filled with a sadness that no one really understood. She guessed it was the thought that they would never see them again. death felt a tear slide down her cheek, Mei had been a good friend. She didn't want to embrace the fact either. death rubbed her arms feeling cold suddenly.  
  
As she walked to the nursery the stiffness in her limbs left. But the annoying electric feeling she recieved with all of her movements remained. The nursery was a place where the phoenix's that had chosen to fully be reborn, and so they were cared for until they were thought to be ready to join the others.  
  
death looked down upon the playground. Kids dressed white silk robes laughed as they chased eachother, played hopscotch, jump rope, marbles, and other games. chaos was sitting next to a low raised rock platform on the far side of the ground, using it for aparantly a table for a picture he was drawing. inochi had been called to a game of dodgeball, she did an over dramatic leap to protect one of her teammates and was out for the moment, but acheiving the laughter she'd intended to bring. Standing next to the empty swings near where her brother sat was Nephilim. Shion had to remind herself that it was the memories and not the real her.  
  
This was one of the few moments Nephilim had ever smiled, she loved to watch the young phoenix's grow in their childish ways. It brought her joy to see the smiling faces of untainted innocence. Yet deep inside, covered up within the layers of wisdom and intellegence was agony. She could only exist right there by traveling along the concsiousness of one's mind. She would never be able to experience the never ending joy that the others could. Ever since she'd become the Guardian of the talent in the temple, these things had been forsaken to her. death decided that her little sister she would talk to later. Right now she had to deal with her brother.  
  
chaos drew the finishing touches to his drawing before handing it to a little girl named Yusi. It was of a castle sitting against a mountain by the sea, wrapped securaly to its turrets in the shadows was a dragon, its face lit only the full moon. It was so realistic that any moment the creature would come alive and leap off the page. Yusi jumped up and down, holding the picture close to her chest, "Thank you chaos! Thank you thank you thank you!" she jumped onto the phoenix, hugging him with all her abnormal strength.  
  
chaos attempted to pry her away, "Yusi! Yusi get off you're choking me!"  
  
The little blue haired girl let go, "I'll keep this forever! I think I wanna become a good drawer like you. How do you get so good? What's your secret?"  
  
He grinned, "It's called practice and patience, little one. Those are the big keys to unlocking the door to one's talent." he looked up, "I'll see you tomorrow, ok Yusi?"  
  
"Ok Silk Wing." she gave him another hug before running away to show off her new treasure. death watched the young girl for a moment. Then turned back to chaos. His expression told her he wasn't really happy to see her.  
  
"I'm sorry chaos."  
  
"Hmph." the younger law bearer stood and walked away, "Maybe if you'd get over that feeling of Pelligri it wouldn't have happened. We may want to fight with our people death, but being what we are we can't afford truly dying before our time is up." his words dripped with animosity.  
  
"I can't help it though. What ever happened before it still exists inside me. Do not think that I know what will happen if one of us dies." death called after him.  
  
chaos looked back at her, both anger and fear churning in his heart, "Don't ever let that feeling take over again. It's rare to ever remember even a feeling of your past life, but this one is not a good exception."  
  
death glared at him, "Do you think I want to die on you guys and our people? Whatever Pelligri did to me, it must be undone. And my instincts tell me that that witch must be killed to do it."  
  
There was silence for what seemed like eternity.  
  
"Just don't let it over run you. If you don't come back when we are called then we'll force you to. And you will not bare a grudge against us for it." it was like he was setting the boardgame rules for her.  
  
death nodded, "I'll try my best."  
  
"No not 'try' sister, you 'do' your best." chaos turned, vanishing into the shade of the tree's.  
  
"Curses, he's still mad at me."  
  
"Afraid for you, plus a little angery at your actions is more like it." Nephilim was suddenly at her side.  
  
The silver haired phoenix smiled sadly, "I just hope he's over it soon. Both of them."  
  
"Siblings have their moods. It will pass in time."  
  
death ran a hand through her short hair, "He's normally never angry. I guess I went a little too far this time."  
  
"In changing Margulis' woman, yes, I would say you went a little too far. That attack of yours does more than stop them in their tracks."  
  
death grinned, "I didn't go far enough though. But it looks like I've made a few lives miserable. Haha!" her sneer was quickly replaced by a frown. She looked over her shoulder at the Guard's Temple. Wilhelm most likely did not want to be kept waiting too long. death was about to tell Nephilim but she wasn't there anymore.  
  
Not bothered at all by this, death brought out her wings. They were crystillian new fallen snow white, gleaming beautifully in the sunlight. She stretched them their full eight feet, they felt like she hadn't flown in months. A little unsure of how strong they were, death testily beat them once. Her toes left the ground easily before dropping back down gently. She remained there for only a split second before she leaped off the ground completely in one giant leap, sending her at an angle into the sky.  
  
At first her wings were tight and didn't want to respond, but as death worked them a little longer they loosened up. The phoenix ascended swiftly over Dream Haven then adjusted her flight feathers and shot up along the cliff face to Guard's Temple The air seemed colder than she remembered. At last death found one of the main doorway platform that Wilhelm and the others had used--how long was she out? death shoved that thought away. Once her feet touched the ground her legs threatened to buckle beneath her and her wings shook badly before they vanished. death took a deep breath, "Guess I'm still not up to snuff."  
  
Two men dressed in black purple robes walked out from a side door, talking quietly. One of them was Virgil, the other was his brother Iril. The two younger elders stopped at sight of her.  
  
Iril gestured down the hall, "Wilhelm will meet you down there."  
  
She nodded in thanks as she headed in that general direction. Her heels echoed loudly on the polished obsidian floor. The interior of the temple was almost made of some type of pearly black stone that could not be cracked or shattered. Pure veins of silver, white opal, fire opal, and garnet decorated the walls in vine like patterns. The ceilings at times jabbed high, making the air in the room feel even bigger. death didn't know how far she'd gone but eventually she reached a dead end. Although not a blank dead end.  
  
Hovering in the center of the simply but beautifully decorated room was a giant crystal. It extended almost up to the ceiling which must have been at least one hundred yards tall. Near the very bottom suspended inside the gigantic jewel was a girl dressed in a simple white robe. Her legs were tucked neatly close to her chest, her arms were crossed like a mummy's. Long sunset aubern hair fanned out on either side of her head. death could only just make out a face, but the details were distorted, cut up by the facets in the crystal. Connected by silver runes, symbols, and thin lines on the floor were three seals evenly spread out around the crystal. One was white, the one across from it red, and above that was black. death remembered this place, it was where she and her siblings had recieved their duties.  
  
"Has nothing nothing I've drilled into that studdorn mind of yours over the past seven centuries mean that little to you?" despite his voice being void and calm, death jumped badly.  
  
"No, it I know what it means."  
  
"Then why not listen?" Wilhelm was as bare of of emotion as ever. Not that he didn't have them though.  
  
"I did listen. This time I just got a little possessive." death felt very uncomfortable under the elder's steady gaze. She also was already annoyed. No matter what Wilhelm's voice was always calm, serene. And when you were already frustrated it just made you even more annoyed.  
  
"You need to learn to control this remaining shadow of your past life," Wilhelm began pacing in circles around her like a hawk watching its prey, hands held loosely behind his back, "it will only continue to consume you when you meet with Pelligri again."  
  
Just like chaos, "So what if I died this time? I wasn't hit with a poisoned weapon, Margulis is not tha--." faster than the human eye could register, death found herself pinned against the wall by her throat. Phoenix's may be imortal, but that didn't mean they enjoyed pain. The law bearer tried in vain to loosen Wilhelm's grip. He didn't even seem to notice her struggles.  
  
"Next time it might be a poisoned weapon. You never can predict the future death. Being who you are it makes a big difference whether you live or die to us all." his one hand holding her up off the floor tightened painfully. He wouldn't go as far as snapping her neck, death was a scarey thing even if it wasn't done by poison.  
  
"Our regeneration cannot work for some reason unknown when it comes to poison, or any sickeness for that matter. And we cannot afford to lose you and your brother and sister." death felt her feet touch the ground, and her airway released. She coughed so hard it hurt her throat. Wilhelm lifted her chin after letting her have a moment, "You, chaos and inochi hold the entire phoenix race's weakness, one of our few. And you well know the Fallen are apart of our people. Ever since you three had been given the laws of death, life and the chaos between it is essential that all of you remain. If you are taken before your time and the rules of our existence transfered; then our universe, and all that reside within are lost to even time."  
  
"Beyond that we don't know what will happen. Should our universe be destroyed then the rest might go as well. And all that everything had taken so much care to build down to the ticking clock of each existence's time will have to begin again. Or maybe not even that. We do not know." Wilhelm released her chin to stroke the side of her face. A flicker of tiredness crossing his face. death knew he was exhausted from living so long, all he wanted to do was to restart. But that was denied to him for no other had his talent or leading skills. Another one of the phoenix's weaknesses, a lesser threat than the Serentiy Triplets dying, was his seeking ability. Wilhelm's magic would automatically seek out his oponents weakness, therefore earning him the nickname Seeker. He wasn't the most powerful by far, chaos and his sisters where so long as they were together. But he was still the deadliest. Wilhelm suddenly snapped his head around.  
  
The girl in the crystal, her eyes were aparently open. Glowing brightly, creating rainbows dance across the walls from inside her prism cage. Nephilim apeared standing in front of the jewel, without warning her ghost of a body disapated before she hit the floor.  
  
death held up her hand in defense, "What's happening?!"  
  
Wilhelm approached the prism just as the ground began to vibrate to the point it hummed. Every single facet line in the crystal flared with blinding white light. Like they were filling up with liquid, the veins of crystal and stone along the floor spread to the ones on the walls until the entire temple was ablaze with light.  
  
chaos bounded effortlessly across the ground like he wasn't even touching it. Leaping along logs, boulders and thick vines not really caring where he was going. The miles flashed by in seconds, the scenery around him was nothing but a blur yet he saw everything.  
  
At last he slid to a hault at the edge of the jungle and the beggining of the sea. The beach stretched beyond sight, its crystillian white sands reflecting that of the sun. Foam laden waves slid up the tide line in steady beats. The breeze was firm yet soft, with the sharp but not unpleasent smell of salty water and coconut trees. Gulls hovered and cried as if they were mourning. chaos sat down abruptly, hugging his knees tightly to his chest. This place was where he came to meditate when he truly wanted to be alone. Isolated from the rest of his kind. But he wasn't here to meditate, he was there to brood his raging emotions. He tried not to let the dam break but one crack lead to the entire thing coming down. chaos was glad to see his sister again, but at the same time she was angry at her. Scared for her. For all of his kind. death took too many risks and it was starting to cost her.  
  
chaos gazed out at the glistening waters of the ocean. It always reminded him of a giant liquid sapphire with a mind. Untamable, unpredictable, dangerous. Yet at times so innocent. He found it's lulluby soothing to him. For a time longer than he cared to keep track of, chaos dozed in the massaging heat of the sun. Letting the carressing waves song calm his mind, heart and soul.  
  
He felt a presence suddenly beside him and he opened his eyes to see Keteya. Her thin gossamer white blue hair cascading down her shoulders. She didn't say a thing, not wanting to break the serenity that chaos had just found. Her small gentle smile and the feeling of her love for him enough. Keteya wrapped her arm around him, putting her head on his shoulder while bringing him to a laying down position. chaos placed his cheek on the top of her head, inhaling the sweet fragrents of his love's scent. He sighed deeply, content. Sleep tickled the edges of their minds, beckoning them into its undisturbed blackness.  
  
What chaos and Keteya didn't realize was that the sky was turning smoothly from liquid blue, to a satin black blue. No stars or moon were there to disturb its silky perfection. Aurouras glazed across the sky in ever thickening ribbons.  
  
chaos suddenly twitched in his sleep. His brow furrowed in puzzlement. What was happening? Images began to spread thinly across his mind. Then thicken into a frenzy that made him jerk and hold his temples. Keteya seemed to be having the same problem. They were still asleep, but something was happening to them that they were not familiar with.  
  
The crew saw what was going on in their friends mind. Every image flashed by so quickly that only chaos knew what it was. But the vague impressions they were getting were that he was seeing them.The future, or something else?  
  
Sweat beaded the phoenix's bodies as they struggled to understand what was happening. It wasn't just happening to them, it was happening to every phoenix including the Fallen.  
  
chaos wanted it to stop! Who were these people he was seeing? What was happening to these people in these--visions? What was happening to 'him'?!  
  
These--whatever you called it went on for what seemed like hours before chaos managed to jerk himself out of his sleep. He sat up, wide eyed and gasping for breathe.  
  
"Keteya? Keteya you ok?" chaos leaned over the slim figure beside him. Keteya was paler than normal, she seemed in a shocked daze. chaos pulled her into his arms. She pressed herself hard against his chest, tears sliding down her face in an endless stream. Her body shaking uncontrolably.  
  
"W--what happened chaos? None of us has ever had that happen before." Keteya rubbed her temples, her head aching from the intrusion--or whatever it had been.  
  
chaos looked up into the sky, once again the way it was, "I don't know. But it doesn't look good." he looked back in the direction of Dream Haven like he'd heard something. Were the others well?  
  
"Come on, we have to get back home."  
  
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????? (blink blink) What just happened? Well to bad I ain't tellin ya! Review please! 


	27. Flashback Part 4: The Fallen's Search Be...

Chapter 27: The Fallen's Search Begins  
  
When Keteya and chaos arrived in Dream Haven, disturbance and fear ranked the city's air. First they still had to recover from the shock of their dead comrades, and now they had to deal with this. chaos didn't eve know what to call what had just happened, he was just as confused and afraid as well. The young law bearer stopped to review what he'd just seen in his sleep. The images of Shion, MOMO, Jr., Ziggy, Albedo, everyone including Gainun Kukai flashed across his minds eye. He recalled the image of Kos- mos, she looked awfully familiar, chaos side glanced Keteya, but what did it all mean?  
  
"chaos! Wait up!" chaos turned around in time to prepare himself for inochi's fear tightning hug. She was crying, obviously not wanting to be alone if whatever happened repeated itself.  
  
"What happened brother? The temple just lit up and then the whole sky changed and then--."  
  
chaos shoved his hand over her mouth, "Slow down inochi. Calm down and tell us what happened." his sister managed to do that and basicaly repeated what she'd been saying only with a little more clearer detail. When she mentioned death heading up to the temple right before the event happened, chaos turned away and took flight.  
  
"Hey wait up chaos!" inochi and Keteya leaped off the ground in pursuit of him. The air seemed to snap with coldness as chaos ascended to Guard's Temple. His toes had barely even touched the ground before he was off again. It didn't take him long before he found the room where Wilhelm was helping his sister to her feet.  
  
"death! Are you ok?" all trace of anger had been replaced with concern.  
  
"Yes I'm fine." she moaned, swaying a little before finding her center of balance again. death shook her head slightly, "That's not possible, the ability activated inside its prison!"  
  
chaos walked over to the crystal, examining it with only his eyes, "How could it? It's supposed to be dorment--unless you get the three seals to crack it."  
  
"Or that's what's supposed to happen." Keteya stepped next to chaos.  
  
Wilhelm ran a hand calmly through his white blonde hair, "It seems that Nephilim had something to do with this. Whether purposly or not I cannot say." he apeared to be only slightly shaken what had happened.  
  
"On the contrary Wilhelm," Nephilim's body shivered into existence, her features were blurry, "I did it to prepare the young ones for what they will soon face." Before Wilhelm could respond the Guardian faded away in the breeze.  
  
"Prepare for what?" Cres quite suddenly appeared beside inochi, making her jump badly.  
  
"Heavens Cres don't do that!" despite her reaction, she seemed happy to see him. It just annoyed her of how Cres got around.  
  
"Who knows." Keteya's gaze strayed to the towering glassless windows down the hall, "Let's go to Nyima, maybe she there's something that's going on." the five young phoenix's spread their wings and took flight, leaving Wilhelm to wait.  
  
"If something was happening she would have sent a signal already--or atleast came down herself."  
  
"I know inochi but we should see if she's all right atleast. Working in the Watch Tower requires you to be alone for long periods of time." The winds were violent close to the tower, as if testing whether or not to let them inside. chaos circled a few times before he managed to land with a lesser risk of falling. Inside Nyima didn't look to good. She sat crouched on the surface of the water inside the holo sphere, a look of confusion, fear, and- -pleasure?  
  
"Nyima are you ok?" chaos retreated his hand when electric shocks sparked in warning. The sphere rippled briefly before smoothing out once again, "Nyima!"  
  
"I'm fine. Physically." she stood up, feeling stiff in the back, "Something's happening you guys."  
  
"Oh we really didn't know that Nyima!" Cres retorted with heavy sarcasm.  
  
"No, not that." the Watcher focused her thoughts. Just like before the crystal keys began moving on their own, but only for a little while this time. The holo sphere brought forth images of something giant that looked like a mass of glittering white whirlpools all clustered together. A mass of movement was approaching the begining of the field of whirlpools.  
  
chaos' eyes went wide with horror, "No......no! Those bastards! They wouldn't dare try the others!"  
  
"Uh, looks like they are bro." Cres followed his friends out the door.  
  
Keteya looked back at the Watcher, "Come on Nyima, from the size of that army we're going to need everyone. Don't worry I'm sure the ability is safe even without us here." the sphere disapated into small particles as Nyima stepped out.  
  
She rubbed her temples, "Ok, just give me a sec and I'll be with you." Keteya nodded before leaping after the others.  
  
A wave of angry beating wings lifted from the once peaceful Dream Haven. They ascended to the darkening sky, turning into thousands of small comets. Traveling into the starry space, Shion was surprised to see that she could see clearly the stars were each a different color of pastel or pearl. But there was no time to gawk at the beautiful sight. The flock of phoenix's traveled faster than even the crew thoght possible. Ahead of them there was a thick blackness with no stars at all. It yawned wide and depthless, threatening to submerge you within and never let you out. Without hesitating the phoenix's dove into the never ending blackness.  
  
It was strange. At first there was nothing. Then the lights of their bodies lit up the ever circling pearl liquid surface of gigantic white whirlpools. Everything was so quiet--mute. Like the sudden calm before the storm.  
  
Out of the darkness suddenly leaped hundreds of snake like women, transarent green blue, with long slender tentacles for hair. The gnosis hissed, showing their fangs. Startled, the first wave slammed on their breaks and fell back, tumbling over the one's behind them.  
  
"Gnosis queen's. How in all the living did they get that many here?" chaos watched the lines reform swiftly.  
  
"It's to assure victory. Look." Wilhelm pointed. Just out of sight was something huge, deformed, ten times bigger than the queen's, but obvious.  
  
"A gnosis King??!! How the heck did they convince that thing to come here!" Cres screamed. The darkness just behind the queen's rippled with movement, the bulky form of the King vanishing.  
  
death squinted, "Ah crap, it looks like they've been planning this for a long time."A mass of gnosis of every kind known and unknown flew out of the darkness like a nightmare. The gnosis queen's turned and vanished.  
  
Wilhelm looked at Virgil and his brother, the Serenity Triplets, Cres, Nyima, and finally Cherankov, "Go stop those gnosis. Should the King and Queen meet in a different universe the consiquences will be deadly." he didn't have to tell the twice, the group rose above the battle and headed with all the speed they could muster. Abruptly Wilhelm was dragged down by several gnosis that looked like snakes with bat wings. He told them to keep going without him.  
  
One surprise after another, almost the entire legions of the Fallen were there guiding the King towards one specially chosen whirlpool. Keteya raised her arms, a cross of the sun in the center, with the arms made of familiar planets, "Galaxy Cross!" her attack didn't even sting the gnosis hide. But the explosion did do something else.  
  
"Now that we have your attention." Keteya pulled her arms back as if holding a bow. A shimmer of light came between her slender fingers, "Celestial Arrow!" the arrow of light, carefully aimed by her keen sight went straight through seven Fallen, making them disapate into ash. Being that they didn't have any special laws inside of them to uphold they wouldn't be reborn for a while.  
  
Cres sparked with red and silver energy, he drew a few signs into the air, "Vampiric Touch!" a few of the advancing Fallen sudden;y found their forehead touched by a red disembodied hand that mad them go pale then implode into an burst of ashes, "chaos, inochi, death! Go and stop that King!" chaos was jerked back by his wrist into Keteya's arms. Her crystillian red eyes glistened with tears, "I'm afraid chaos. Of what I saw back home."  
  
chaos reflected on what he'd seen as well, "Whatever Nephilim showed us we'll over come got that?" he held her hands tightly in his, looking deeply into her fear filled face. She examined the detail of his perfect features, memorizing everything. Drinking in his determined eyes, and remembering his gentle yet jolly smile.  
  
"I love you chaos."  
  
He didn't like the look of goodbye that was dampening her face with tears, he dried them away, "That won't happen understand me?" he kissed her hard before joining his sisters. Keteya watched him a little longer before turning her tear ridden face into a glare, "Come and get it you bastards! Scepter of the Suns!" a short staff adorned with elegent gold, with a pearl red shaft and a giant goldstone as the head apeared in her hands. It charged quickly and disinigrated her enemies in the hundreds.  
  
Nyima's eyes flared with bright green light, "Heart Murmer!" vine like thunder jutted from her body and felled the Fallen by her simply hitting them with her fist. They were beggining to swarm them.  
  
The Serenity Triplets found the one the Fallen were attempting to get the 'gnosis royalty' in. They flew in front of the advancing creatures. The dark phoenix's flew forword, screeching their hate of them, yet knowing they couldn't actually kill them.  
  
chaos closed his eyes and focused. His superior power was very raw and uncontrolable if he were to try and use it alone. But that's what his sisters were for. They were an extension of his power, a kind of like a magic magnifier and tuner. A giant cross appeared beneath them with chaos at its center. Power unlike any in the known world erupted from his body. chaos trembled horribly under his own magic's might. death and inochi were there however. They settled on either side of him, a little in ahead. They let the energy attract to them then pointed their palms forword. The cross erupted with power that danced around the triplet's bodies and seered through the space in a dead course for the King. Disinigrating any Fallen phoenix's in its wake.  
  
In a thick mass almost all of the gnosis females scrunched together in a meat shield and took the blow.  
  
inochi swore when her attention was drawn to a few about to enter the whirlpool. She pulled some hair from her head and lashed them out, "Spirit Needle!" the three hairs straightened into glowing points and caught the human/snake gnosis right in the back of the neck. They screamed in pain before vanishing in an explosion of blood. The youngest became outlined with a white aura, she clenched her fingers together like she was praying, "Celestial Clutch!" more of the Fallen guiding the King became trapped then killed by the crushing bonds.  
  
Cres suddenly appeared by chaos' sisters, his eyes glazed over with sunset red, "Help me, help us all!"  
  
They nodded and took a position on either side of him. Cres took a glowing hand and drew an upsidedown nail moon his height, he felt the power of his friends burst through out his veins, "Eyes of the Nymph!" two giant eyes opened in front of him, mimicking his own glowing eyes and flashed. Leaves and peddles fell as an after effect. Normally this would only work on a group of people right in front of him but with the help of inochi and death. A ripple traveled across the space and froze the approaching and guarding hostile phoenix's. But the King kept a steady pace, unaffected by anything. It would take the Triplets brute power or Wilhelms seeking wisdom. And at the moment Wilhelm was busy, and the Triplets had to regain their strength. In the mean time they had to keep the remaining queen's from escaping their existence.  
  
Keteya and Nyima flew over the wide top of the King, letting their evil kin chase them. Nyima pointed at something inside the gnosis' flesh. Her friend nodded. They were the only things the gnosis treasured in objects.  
  
chaos slammed his spear deep inside the top of a queen's head, twisting it, letting the barbs tear the gnosis even more. He tore his weapon away in time to see Keteya and Nyima approach.  
  
"chaos! You've got to get those Zohars out of the King! If you do you can make it turn around!" Something screeched in rage. The Triplets, Keteya and Nyima didn't have time to react when a very familiar gnosis queen smashed into chaos and encircling the others with her tentacles. She was bigger then the others and far more superior. Yavyn Mistra.  
  
Crescent's eyes went wide, "NOOOO!!!"  
  
Time seemed to slow. There was a muted clear explosion of energy when Yavyn and her captives fell into the whirlpool. Everyone was pushed away then pulled back in a slingshot action. chaos watched in frozen horror as darkness enveloped him. He felt different........like something was trying to be being reorginized within him. Oh no. Was all he could think.

White light began to fall away unforseen in the darkness from chaos and his sisters bodies. Their true selves had been awakened.  
  
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CLIFFE!!! Don't hurt me! You shall get your next chap soon I promise. Review please!


	28. Flashback Part 5: Entrapment

Chapter 28: Entrapment  
  
The phoenix's passion inside them had awoken after so many years. chaos and the others were afraid of this power, there's was always a chance that it would take you over completely. But it seemed that it was time to let it out.  
  
Here inside the tunnel there was nothing but blackness. No light, no sound, no life. Rules meant nothing to this abyss. It was just there to absorb you into its nothingness. Consume you into its unexplainable lucid chaos.  
  
Yavyn felt the burning of the creatures she was trying to restrain. Ahead she suddenly sensed--not saw--the end of their universe and the beggining of another. This one would be easy to find the three seals for the Fallen. Plus they would confuse those that lived there for this was an existence of rules that made sense.  
  
All hell broke loose when the gnosis and phoenix's burst forth from the portal known most commonly as a blackhole. Bright glowing beasts screeched in fury as they battled with eachother and their gnosis advasary. Yavyn threw them off right into a nearby planet after thrashing about violently for some time. She hissed.  
  
The five creatures turned out to be giant hawk like birds. Light traced every slightest flowing movement they made, giving them a sort of heavenly aura. The only easy way to identify them apart was their eyes.  
  
The lead one, which they presumed was chaos stepped forword, unphased by the impact. He lowered his head and wings, swishing his long tail like a cat about to strike. The emotions and thoughts he felt were no longer exactly his own. This "transformation"happened only once before to a phoenix. That was when they were reborn to restart. Or in this case a starting to get desperate situation. It was dangerous to be in this form for both the recipient and the one doing it. chaos let out a battle cry, followed by the others in unison. The phoenix's screeched in fury and leaped off of the planet at Yavyn, their bodies blazing with power.  
  
Explosions bigger than even ten nukes burst from the battlefield. The hawk like birds moved with such agility and swiftness it surpassed any being that was known. It made Shion's eyes hurt just watching. Actually, all she could see was flashes of light and a bit of movement here and there. It as all going to fast for the human eye to register. The creatures tackled eachother, smashing into the near by planet biting and clawing at eachother, fighting for dominance.  
  
Without warning the gnosis King appeared out of the blackhole. It sensed what was happening. It knew of the dangers that would happen if nothing was done about the raging phoenix's. It's grotesque body rippled and it began to glow. The Zohar in the center of the emulaters began to glow fiercely while giving off a high pitched note.  
  
A shockwave of white blue energy erupted from the gnosis' body. The phoenix's screeched almost musical notes of pain before their body disapated back to their humanoid form. Keteya was disoriented for a bit. Feeling weak with the sudden drain of massive energy. She shook her head slightly and turned in time to get smacked by Yavyn Mistra, sending her flying into the planet once again. Keteya groaned, this was just not anyone's day. The young phoenix climbed out of the hole her impact had created. Once she stood up someone snatched her up by the throat.  
  
Yavyn Mistra found her way mostly clear of any obsticles. She hissed in pleasure and glided swiftly towards the planet.  
  
A taunting coo caught her attention. She turned to see that three phoenix's still in their mega form standing on top of the King. chaos tilted his head, eyes dancing with mock. Daring her to try and get to him before he did what he was about to do.  
  
Yavyn's features twisted in pure hate. She had a desicion to make. Either get to the planet or attempt to save the Zohars. She made her move.  
  
chaos dug his barbed beak deep into the flesh and began tearing out the Original Zohar while his sisters dug for the emulaters. They ripped them out and sent them flying out into space. The King rippled, making a sound close to a walrus in pain. chaos readied himself for Yavyn but was surprised that she wasn't there. She'd faked them out by starting their way then backtracking back to the planet.  
  
Wilhelm raised his voice for the first time, "Go! Get back into the exit now!" he actually looked afraid. The phoenix's didn't hesitate in listening, they were afraid of this new existence, should they be trapped there they would be forced to use the inhabitants to get back. Nephilim appeared, watching both the Fallen and the Dream Haven's scramble to get inside the blackhole. Most made it.  
  
The planet's surface cracked then seemed to melt. Steam rising and freezing in place when it left the surface. Gnosis left from the battle gathered in masses against the surface then vanished. chaos watched in horror as vine like tentacles sprouted from the planet and sank into the center of the blackhole. Half of each army was left stranded now. Without warning chaos felt his power stripped and he was left drained and useless.  
  
"What are we gonna do now chaos?" inochi gripped his arm, same as death, a little habit they always did. chaos didn't answer. He didn't have one. Suddenly his attention was drawn to the Zohars floating freely above them. chaos floated up towards the Original. He stayed suspended in place in front of the eight pointed star symbol. Maybe.....  
  
Slowly, very hesitently, chaos reached out and pressed his palm against it. A blast of energy knocked him back, but it seemed that his hand was glued to the Zohar. chaos threw his head back screaming. His body and soul unable handle the complicated power flowing into him. Instantly inochi and death were by his side, the energy eminating from the Original increased ten fold when the sisters joined.  
  
Nephilim did not approve of this, neither Wilhelm, but it seemed the best course of action. The Guardian turned to Cherankov, "Take a piece of each of the emulaters, should Yavyn and that King get a hold of them atleast they won't be complete."  
  
Cherankov nodded, then followed by several other phoenix he circled the emulaters one by one. Taking a bit of the energy inside so that they would be incomplete. The Triplets seemed to be having a bit of trouble however, it seemed that they couldn't stop absorbing the Original.  
  
The King let out a muted cry of rage.  
  
"Go! Go! Scatter them!" Nephilim screamed. In random directions phoenix's took each emulater through a portal. Not knowing where it would take them. Smaller gnosis opened up a portal as well, not to pursue, but to steadily transfer their King somewhere safer until the Zohars were retrieved.  
  
"Ahhhh!" chaos finaly ripped his hand from the Original, heatwaves simmering from his body. He held his throbbing hand tenderly, his sisters no better off. Briefly the center of the symbol burned onto chaos' forehead, the other halves on inochi and death.  
  
"Heh, happy now chaos? You're trapped here with us. Whether you like it or not. And you won't be able to stop us," chaos looked up to see Margulis, "not with your only way home blocked."  
  
chaos clenched his fingers tightly. Anger and hate boiling within his veins, "How could you bring our war into another existence? They do not belong in this! This is between us and you. No one else."  
  
Marulis chuckled then held up a limp, very battered looking Keteya, "So clevor was Wilhelm to send the seals to hiding in another universe." chaos felt the emotions beggining to churn inside his gut. On the verge of becoming uncontrolable.  
  
"That is a lie Margulis, and you know it." Wilhelm glided forword, "The seals choose where they hide. And I did not do the choosing for them. Asmodeus is twisting his information to increase your hate of us."  
  
"Asmodeus is our leader and a wise one."  
  
"Even a wiseman needs some intelligance."  
  
"Do not mock him!" they heard a crunching sound, Keteya gasped then whimpered in pain.  
  
"Stop it!"  
  
"chaos no!" inochi missed grabbing him.  
  
chaos sent balls of light that exploded on contact, forcing . He brought out his spear and sliced Margulis' arm off, earning a very angry man after him. But chaos grabbed Keteya and pulled her away in time to avoid the explosions. He skidded across the surface of the now empty Original.  
  
"Keteya? Keteya wake up! We're safe." chaos shook her slightly.  
  
Keteya's eyes snapped open, "Can't say the same for you!" she lifted her arm, there was a flash of green light as she stabbed down into his left shoulder.  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!" the phoenix smacked her away, pulling the emerald dagger out from between his bones. He crouched there, trembling.  
  
inochi and death were by his side, "Keteya! Why?!" inochi yelled. She stopped herself when she saw that Keteya, their best friend and chaos' love was dead. Truly dead. inochi sensed no heartbeat, no life pulsing within her veins. Dead. Keteya's body did not disipate into ashes like it should have.  
  
Margulis landed in front of them. First his bones grew back, then veins and flesh, "I hope you find your stay pleasent with Yavyn."  
  
Before what his words took meaning in their heads, the Triplets were jerked back like an invisible string was pulling them from the back of their neck. Shion flinched when they smacked down into the molten earth. chaos suddenly felt trapped in mind and body.  
  
"Help!" inochi screamed.  
  
chaos snapped out of his daze to find that he was being tapped inside an obsidian coffin, "No!" he banged his fists against the glass over and over. Pain shot through out his body starting from his shoulder. Keteya's demented grinning face of betrayel haunted his mind's eye. Tears slid down his face, "Stop it! STOP IT!!"  
  
She's dead.....  
  
No, it can't be true! This whole thing is just an illusion right?  
  
Keteya's betrayel.  
  
Was it by her own choosing or Margulis' puppet?  
  
Pain, a burning inside his soul and body. Mind and heart. chaos felt like a huge snake was forcing its way down his throat and slithering inside his arms, legs, chest, gut, and head. The screams of his sisters were mute to his ears. Cres, Nyima and the others........for all he knew they could be dead. In his living hell he was taunted with the paradise he'd been in just hours before. chaos didn't really care for this, he cared for the people he loved and cared for. The question haunted him, had it been of free will or control? Was his friends dead or no?  
  
Nephilim pressed her palm against the glass case, "I am sorry chaos, inochi, death. But to lessen your pain I must do this." Something smoke like filtered out of the coffin swiftly and gathered into glowing silver orbs. They hovered just above her delicate hands. chaos stilled relatively.  
  
"You insignificant little worm!" Yavyn burst from the mangma, lashing out with her hair tentacles. Nephilim vanished and they grabbed empty air.  
  
The core grew its outer 'shell' rapidly. Gnosis came and went. A gnosis queen able to give birth without the need of the male. The remaining phoenix no where to be seen. About this time the first Zohar Emulater was uncovered from its hiding place on Earth. chaos, inoch and death remained 'dorment' with their coffin prisons.  
  
"You took all their memories away?" Shion asked after a time.  
  
"Not all. Just the ones that I thought would give them the most pain and left the one's they needed. But that turned out to be too much of who they'd once been. Now, even if I did replace their memories they'd never be the same." Nephilim kept her eyes on the rapidly growing Dead's Tear, "I also did something else in taking themselves, they almost went crazy not knowing where they came from or what was going to happen to them. I tried talking to them but they just wouldn't listen. Too much in pain and agony to want to."  
  
"How long has gone by?" Shion wondered.  
  
"A little over four millenia. You all will be surprised at how intertwined chaos is with each of you."  
  
"Four millinia?" Kos-mos spoke for the first time. Startling everyone, "That is a long time to be experiencing pain." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Doh! maybe i should've merged em. (shrug) Oh well. Review please! 


	29. Part 6:One's Ending & Anothers Beginning

Dark Hawk Wings: I think i already know what it is about chaos. My fic is based on a tidbit a friend gave me, and his friend told me something interesting about the end of the second one and the third one. Is that it?  
  
Chapter 29: One's Ending & Another's Beginning  
  
Dead's Tear was almost the size it was when they'd found it. But there was still a few decades to go before it would be current time. The gnosis hordes were more active than usual, waiting impatiently for their Queen to give the signal to let them continue their search. Each Emulater had been released from their hiding place and now were waiting to be found. Yavyn was resting at this moment. Her transparent body held gently by the flesh 'rose peddles', she was exhausted from bearing the newest gnosis. But it had been needed.  
  
Near the bottom of the shallow stairs imbedded within the floor were chaos, inochi, and death. They slept as well. Curled up in a ball, suspended in the center of the coffin. chaos felt numb. Not in just body, but in his tormented soul as well. Nephilim had told him that if got out and helped them with their plan to get home then he and his sisters would recieve their memories back.  
  
All this time.....  
  
Who knew how long had gone by.....  
  
All he knew anymore was the pain snaking through his body that even he no longer had feeling for. Why should he even care? They left him and his sisters inside this prison of agony.  
  
So suddenly chaos snapped his eyes open which blazed with bright blue light. His sister's bodies became a flame with watery bluish light.  
  
"Go chaos," they said in unison, "we shall wait here."  
  
chaos strained against invisible ropes. He let out an inhuman scream of rage as the aura encasing his body intensified, the glass hood shattered. Thick black shards flew through the air as glittering smoke billowed out. chaos fell against the hardened flesh in a daze, the floor swaying heavily beneath his trembling frame. Behind him, chaos felt the Queen gnosis stir awake.  
  
The tortured soul hesitantly opened his eyes a sliver. Everything was blurred into almost one flat sheet of color. chaos dragged his lead heavy arms into position and attempted to get to his feet. His arms shook madly, refusing to lift his seemingly heavy body. chaos heard a muffled cobra hiss that stimulated him. chaos stumbled to his feet. But he was completely blind and was too numb and weak to do anything. Yavyn lashed out with her tentacles.  
  
At the very last second chaos whipped around extending his palm. Yavyn was cought by complete surprise when she froze in place. chaos fumbled a minute, unsure of what had just occured. A bright bluish aura of light and ethreal feathers began to swirl around him, and at the same time tentacles sprung from his back.  
  
chaos grasped both sides of his head, "NYAAAAAAAAARRH!!" the phoenix leaped at an angle away from the gnosis, everything he touched peeling away like it was being burned. Like the giant homeworld had been made of melted butter the former prisoner escaped his undeath bed.  
  
Once outside of the Acid Droplet chaos hesitated. His aura changed ravagely from sickening green to lumonous blue. At some point of his struggle the energies merged causing chaos to scream in agony. Shion flinched. Kos-mos wanted to but was unsure.  
  
Finaly chaos couldn't take the power and pain building within the hallways of his soul and veins of his body. His demented eyes opened wide in horror, chaos threw back his head and screeched his phoenix call. Gnosis gathered in an attempt to contain the crazed being.  
  
chaos jerked his head around, eyes unseeing at the advancing army. His aura shifted violently from one to the other, like they were fighting for domanince. The gnosis were approaching quickly. It seemed an impossible number even for a pheonix.  
  
Hesitation.......  
  
What had happened to him? What was going on inside of him?  
  
chaos still his pain wracked body. Silver hair flying about his neck like a wind was toying with it. The phoenix lifted both hands with his palms forword and almost the entire army froze in place. For a brief moment the center piece of the Original's symbol appeared on his forehead. chaos' sight was gone, but his vision was still there. The enraged law bearer exploded with energy and flew in between the frozen gnosis faster than the eye could see, making them vanish by barely even touching them. Any gnosis that attempted to resist were instantly obliterated. chaos stopped abruptly and keeled over holding his head.  
  
He shook his head with each rusty word, "No no! Get out of my head you deranged witch! Get--out!! AHHHHH!!!"  
  
Yavyn Mistra screamed when a blast of energy burned her mind and body.  
  
chaos suddenly turned and fled the battle field, the column bursting open at his will. He had no idea where he was headed, and at the moment he didn't care. The phoenix just kept going and going, his unending power building up inside unable to stop. chaos came to an abrupt hault. Feathers whirled around him in a mad tornado.  
  
"What's happening....." chaos curled into a ball, one gloved hand grasping his left shoulder. You could see his flesh throbbing in sync to the beat of his heart. For what seemed another four thousand years all chaos knew was the pain coursing through his veins and the sound of his strangely steady heart beat. Suddenly there was a presence behind him. chaos whipped around to attack who ever it was but instantly was stopped.  
  
Nephilim almost stabbed him with her two fingers under his jaw line, "chaos control the two entity's inside of you. Should you let them continue to let them battle for you like this you'll be destroyed and your race, the entire web of existences may go with you." a strange growl came from deep within chaos' throat. Nephilim actually glared at the youth (compared to her). She pressed her fingers deeper through the bottom of his jaw line, "Do as I say chaos! I will not have you become a demented bastard!" chaos shuddered, trying to do her will. He knew it was Nephilim, but his vision although now more distinct, was still very blurry. Atleast now he could tell one thing from another.  
  
"I can't!" he finaly said. Panic bubbling inside his chest. His phoenix side and the gnosis were out of his control. The infection that Keteya had inflicted upon him suddenly coming to life now that he wasn't in the coffin prison.  
  
Keteya.  
  
The name was familiar in a way yet..........  
  
Energy flared about his body making him jerk violently.  
  
Nephilim did not phase away even though she knew in this state chaos could do great harm to her, "Calm them chaos, do not force them into your hand. Bring them into harmony."  
  
"Easier said then done!" chaos skrunched his eye lids shut. Inside he saw the black and demented gnosis chaos, and the other the form of the phoenix form. They were going at it and were going at it hard. chaos found himself caught in the middle, unable to move or speak. This was just a visual representation of what was happening inside. None the less chaos felt the pain inflicted by the two forces was more than he could bare anymore.  
  
Outside chaos threw his head back and screamed. Power erupting from his body, the aurora rays spreading throughout the system he was in, in a calm but silent destructive wave. chaos ended his yell and the energy was pulled back into him looking like colored water draining back.  
  
Nephilim gazed at chaos, sadness and pitty welling up in her eyes, "I'm sorry you have to go through all this pain. But you must learn to endure even more of it as your roll in this universe progresses."  
  
"What if I don't want this roll?" chaos' voice was low and sinister, "What if I don't care about it anymore!"  
  
"You don't wish to go back to your home with your sisters? Back to the paradise that we were lured from? Back to the life you had?" these words made his heart skip a beat. chaos tried to remember beyond the coffin and the people he knew only through their faces. All he could recall was a big blank.  
  
"Why can't you give me back my life now! I don't care if you did it to ease the pain we had in Yavyn's lair. I want my past back now!" his hand passed right through her throat. chaos wasn't surprised, and neither was she. All he could do was pull his hand back and glare.  
  
"I know it was a bit of a mistake taking them from you and your sisters. But I must hold onto your past until our quest is done."  
  
chaos suddenly had a flurry of images flash across his mind's eye, "Them? Heh, so they're the ones that will complete this journey for you?" his face was smug.  
  
Nephilim placed her fair hand over his heart, "I know you despise me for what I've done. You must play your roll. Or else no one will be able to return except perhaps the Fallen. Would you want to trap all of your friends here in this universe?"  
  
Images of Nyima and all of his other friends trapped surfaced from the darkness of his mind. His face fell. Thoughts unbidden, both making sense told him that Nephilim was using his friendships against him to get his cooperation. And the other was saying that he needed to give in to get his trapped comrades back home. chaos closed his eyes, tears slipping down his cheeks in hot streams.  
  
Nephilim pulled him into a gentle embrace, stroking his long silver hair, "I know that you're in anguish, chaos. The two inside you confuse and mislead you. I think it is best to ignore them and take your own course of action. Shut them out and make your own desicion. You are not the person that you once were yes, but that does not mean that you do not have the choice to create another you. One that the inhabitants will know you by and give you some peace in an identity."  
  
"But it's still not me. And somewhere in the back of my head I'll always know that!" chaos sobbed.  
  
"Yes I know." Nephilim tightened her embrace. It pained her to see him, any like this. Had she been able to, she would have shed tears with him.  
  
chaos pulled away from her enough so that he could gaze into her eyes, "How can I control this poison inside of me? I can feel it taking over me bit by bit." he looked very scared. His face almost like that of a lost child.  
  
Nephilim sighed, "I do not know. Not even Wilhelm know's how to counter this. Had it not been inflicted by Yavyn's poison then we could rid you of it. But alas it is not simple poison like the Fallen use."  
  
"Then what am I supposed to do?"  
  
"They say I'm a wise one, full of answers to everything. But all I have to say to that is," Nephilim wiped his tears away with her thumb, "deal with it. And hope for the best."  
  
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Ok abrupt ending so sue me. Oh wait, don't please I wouldn't be able to afford a lawyer. Ok off to work on the 30th chapter. GAH!!! (runs around in circles) must get this fic done it's driving me nuts! And this is only the beginning of the end (sigh). Review please! 


	30. Flashback Part 7: no name

Scythe: 0.0 oh my gosh oh my gosh! (runs around in circles getting giddy) are they doing what i think they're doing???? (passes out) Nylil: (gives Maieve the strange look) Ok while she's off in lala land, I'll have to say thank you for that, and for the review. As you can tell she enjoyed it. ; ) But she's also wondering what's the address to where you got that.  
  
Skyspiral: Well I'm not sure about that, but thanks. I'll say this though: almost half of my fic is based on real game facts.  
  
Dark Hawk Wings: Actually no that's not what i meant. But whatever other name chaos has, (and i think i've got what it is) it's still doesn't beat the one he's got now.  
  
Chapter 30:  
  
"Wait a sec," Jr. inturrupted, "I hate to ruin the moment you guys but this wouldn't be about chaos' past. Or, atleast not until he escaped Yavyn."  
  
The memory faded away so that they were once again in the exitless room. Nephilim turned to the URTV, "You recall what I said in Kos-mos' Encephalon. Memories do not not solely reside in one person. I exist within every consiousness, so I am able to see what they do. Unlike most, they do not know they're even there." three silver balls slowly circled the Guardian and settled gently in the palm of her hands, "You all shall be shown a bit of your pasts. Some you wish to forget. Others you need to know." Nephilim crushed the spheres which vaperized into nothing.  
  
"It's time for all of you to face the agony's of your pasts. Without the pain, your memories will not be whole."  
  
"Joy is only half of the memories." MOMO repeated what Nephilim had said so long ago.  
  
"Yes." Nephilim looked up at Ziggy who towered over her, "Are you all ready? I do hope so, especially you Shion." the small girl clasped her hands together as if she were praying. A gentle aura eminated from her small frame, surounding the group in its carressing light.  
  
chaos stood hesitantly in the shadows of an alley way. He watched the humans and--realians were they called?--pass by without notice. The existence of the aeons was a lot different than he'd imagined. Much more rule and science based than anything else. Humans were ever curious creatures, striving in a universe that was cruel to them, barely able to survive. A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. They seemed to be lucky so far though. Pain throbbed for a moment under the bones of his shoulder. chaos didn't even feel his fingers tightning their grasp on it. The numbness seemed to be spreading ever so slowly.  
  
This didn't help his mood any. The feeling in the air was filled with tension, stress, and very little relief. Feelings that seeped into chaos, making him restless. Nephilim had told him that his role would come to him. In the mean time he needed to learn the details of the human's existence. chaos stepped silently out of the alley way and began walking to no particular destination.  
  
Everyone these days relied on hightech machinary, especially not being able to go out in space unprotected.  
  
sProtical, the humans were ranked with it. He wondered if any of them ever got sick of it. Rules this, rules that. How did the humans deal with so many restraints? chaos stopped to examine the terminal of a public U.M.N. panel. Quite a little set up though. He ran his fingers across the keyboard, pretty fast for one hand, and looked up some past history of the humans. After a few minutes of browsing the phoenix left the panel and continued down the busy walkway.  
  
chaos suddenly felt tremmers through his feet. He glanced in the direction they were coming from to see three giant machines on patrol. AGWS's they were called. Nifty little things to have for these people. Most of them though were still in the middle stage of development.  
  
The residential homes and shops ended abruptly and a small park began. Here it was a little quieter and more relaxed. chaos sat on a shaded bench and sighed heavily. So much change, evolution happening in so short a time. Humans were curious, mostly bright creatures. Depending heavily on teamwork to get things done and more importanlty to survive. If that teamwork was broken then it was easy travel the rest of the way to take them down. chaos leaned his head back so that he stared into the sky.  
  
Clouds hung low and forboding, threatning to release at any moment. People began hurrying home. A mother dragging her squirming children hurried past him without a glance. Human senses were so dull, they couldn't tell anything without their precious machines. And even then sometimes it was inaccurate, or said something wasn't possible due to its logic drive.  
  
chaos blinked when a single drop of water splashed onto his cheek. Then another. Then soon the entire city was drenched by the downpour of rain. chaos' mood matched that of the wheather. He was tired, saddened, yet had something writhing powerful and loud inside of him. Lightning crashed just overhead. Shion wanted to curl over and cover her head in fright--but she couldn't move.  
  
"You can sleep in the oddest of conditions." mumbled a familiar voice.  
  
chaos opened his eyes, turning his head to see a black purple cloaked man leaning against the tree next to him, "Oh hey Virgil. I'm just tired that's all."  
  
A man wearing a black red robe stepped forword, "Considering you were inside statis of Yavyn's lair I'd imagine. I'm sure you're happy to be out of their, and we're glad you're out." it was Iril, Virgil's brother.  
  
"In a way," his voice was like the one the crew knew now.  
  
"Who wouldn't be happy to be out of there?" this was an elder called Voyager. chaos had never actually talked to him before.  
  
He sighed, "Isn't it obvious? My sisters are still there. Enduring the pain that I should be enduring with them."  
  
"They sacrificed their freedom to get you out. Do not worry, they are still connected to you." Iril said behind his strange mask.  
  
chaos smiled sadly, "I wish it could be soon. Even though they'd been beside me the whole time, I hadn't been with them. I've been alone for the past millinia." he rubbed his temples, "And with no past life to retreat to." for a moment there was nothing but the pattering of rain on the asphault. Thunder rumbled over head a few times before shifting somewhere behind them.  
  
"What are you guys doing here anyway?" chaos tucked his hands behind his head and slouched to a more comfortable position.  
  
"Here on business. Besides trying to carry out the plan to get home we have to keep an eye on the Fallen and the gnosis as well. You know, be sure they don't take any keys in this game." Virgil snorted.  
  
"Cranky as usual aren't you?" chaos grinned.  
  
Iril squeezed his brother's shoulder, "You know him. To the point and then let's get to it." he looked up at the depressed sky, "We have to go now chaos. A gnosis horde might possibly come to this planet, just keep that in mind."  
  
"K, thanks." he didn't need to see them to know that they'd vanished. For long silent moments the rain continued to pelt down heavily, then slowly resceded. Quickly a thick mist filled the streets of the city, making it to that visibility was almost nill. Gnosis wouldn't attack in these conditions, chaos thoughts seem to inturrupt the tense silence, they hate water, especially if any of the defense systems here have the Hilbert Effect. But, always you should expect anything. Yawning while he stretched the full length of his slim body, then stood.  
  
chaos made a face, rolled his left shoulder several times then stretched it again, "Stupid virus." he mumbled under his breath.  
  
Suddenly his keen hearing picked up the high pitched whine of a giant ship. It grew steadily into a scream, then a roar as it passed overhead. The mist swirled like it was following; trees let loose a few leaves. Very briefly an image came to chaos' mind then vanished. He didn't say anything, but he knew that his part had begun. What puzzled him was that Nephilim had said once that they couldn't see or predict the future. They could only calculate the each of the facts and then the possible outcomes.  
  
Then how come I know these things? chaos looked in the general direction of the ship. He reflected upon the incident before they'd been trapped here. No one that he knew of could even guess what it was called. Suddenly his circle of sight broadened till almost the enitre park was revealed. The ground level cloud was thinning quickly  
  
'What you saw shall help you...and give you pain.'  
  
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Ack! i didn't mean to end it like that but that's ok! i think......Anyway, review please! 


	31. Retrieval Complete

A/N: name change here peoples. i've changed death's name to: shi (yes i know i should have stayed with one name but this is a needed change)  
  
Makoume Yuffie: Thank you very much  
  
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I AM SOOOOO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!! I've been on writer's block plus i had things to do. So here's your chap!  
  
This fic, is now dedicated to Remixta who helped me with a lot of things.  
  
Chapter 31: Retrieval Complete  
  
A silent red giant piercing through the unexplored space, the Durandel cruised steadily passed the uninhabited planets. Unknown to them they were approaching a forbidden place that no one returned from. Even though there was no sound in space, it didn't help that everyone was jumpy and more quiet than usual inside the Durandel.  
  
"Thirty minutes, and 25 seconds to last gate jump." announced one of the 100 Series Observational realians.  
  
"No enemies in known scanning area. We're clear for the moment." the realian known as Anzu looked over her shoulder, "Is it all right if I ask a question Master Gainun?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
Anzu turned her chair half way around, "You said this was a gnosis area. Yet so far, all we've run into is a few rouge ones. What's so special about this area anyway?"  
  
Gainun looked up into the stars beyond the Durandel's windows, "This was merely second hand information. This place was restricted because of the numbers of gnosis. Although why there are so few is puzzling."  
  
Shelley looked up from her terminal, "Perhaps they only come here in swarms when humans are here."  
  
"If that were the case then we'd have been attacked long ago." Gainun replied.  
  
"That makes sense," Mary stood and stretched her stiff limbs, "Have you recieved anything from Little Master? A telepathic message, a long distance call...anything?"  
  
Gainun shook his head grimly, "No, the last I felt his presence was this morning. Then it just went blank like he--." Gainun didn't dare finish the sentence. As if by doing so it would come true. Mary gave her sister an all knowing look. She shook herself and returned to her work station. Shelley opened up a new screen that revealed to her the status of the ship's main systems. The new diapson crystal that they'd installed worked nicely and held steady. They'd managed to install it a few weeks after Jr.'s and his friends departure, which made them ahead of schedule. But with each mintue that passed within this very still portion of the galaxy, Shelley grew more and more uneasy. The air was ranked with it, the nervous adrenalin that pumped in their system.  
  
"Shelley?" Gainun's voice made her jump badly.  
  
"Oh sorry sir, what were you saying?"  
  
The black haired URTV walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder, "I was asking whether or not there's any problems in the containment area. Being in suspected areas like this I want to keep an eye on those emulaters."  
  
"Yes sir." her fingers ran swiftly over the keyboard. At first it read clear, then something caught her eye. She checked again and realized that the emulaters were beginning to give off an aura of power. Almost without warning the alarm system went off. Shelley instantlycut the main line to the main computer from the containment area. The alarms continued to sound and flash.  
  
"What's going on!" Mary checked the screen to see numbers pouring in so fast the computer couldn't analyze them, "All hands, man your AGWS units and your battle stations. Repeat..."  
  
"Where is it coming from?" Gainun asked.  
  
"We don't know sir," replied one of the realians, "the readings are coming in too fast."  
  
"Master Gainun we're in range of the column gate."  
  
"Get this ship out of here!"  
  
"Yes sir." the realian entered in the command code for the UMN, but almost instantly red error's began flashing across her screen, "Wha-? Master Gainun! The gate won't open! It's code is more complicated than the computer can analyze! It's like it's locked or something."  
  
"How is that possible? Only the UMN can do that."  
  
"Aparently not sir--." Another alarm sounded.  
  
Ahead of the Durandel the scenery began to warp and swirl into a violet shaded vortex. All at once several gnosis appeared out of the column.  
  
"Master Gainun! The emulaters are calling the gnosis again!" Mary yelled.  
  
"Activating Hilbert Effect maximum range via an amplifier." Shelley informed. The Durandel shook violently as something exploded on the tip of the ship's nose, "The amplifier exploded!"  
  
"What?!" Gainun placed his hands over two white orbs half imbedded into the main terminal. His eyes began to glow with phsycic power. All along the sides of the ship, weapons sparked to life and fired upon the onrushing gnosis.  
  
Mary almost glanced over at her sister, "How did the amplifier just explode!"  
  
"Something hit it, but we didn't pick it up on our sensors till too late."  
  
"How's that possible?" the Durandel shook violently as something within exploded.  
  
"Fire in Residential Area. Sending men down to evacuate." Just as fast as the gnosis were eliminated, more replaced them. Gainun let out frustrated yell as he sent another surge of energy into the weapons system. The gnosis had already breached their defense perimiter and were roaming the halls of the ship. Blood splattered against the walls as the realians and people were slaughtered by the merciless creatures. Alarms howled throughout the ship. Civilians screamed hysterically, trying to find a place to hide in vain.  
  
"AGWS losses exceeding 86%."  
  
Yet another alarm began sounding, "Master Gainun they're headed for the bridge!" Anzu screamed.  
  
Gainun didn't have enough time left to energize the system. The three lights smashed right through the window without shattering it. Without pausing the ghostly lights passed Gainun, Shelley and Mary and vanished through the locked door.  
  
"What was that Master Gainun?" a realian asked. Gainun didn't answer. Instead he brought up the main survelince system. The camera's were only able to catch barely glimpses of the three "ghosts".  
  
"They're headed for the containment area!"  
  
Gainun swore horribly, "Mary, Shelley you stay here."  
  
"What?!" the two Godwin sisters yelled in unison.  
  
"You're going out there alone? You can't do that! And besides, we need your powers to actually affect the gnosis with our weapons!" Mary tried to sway him. Another survelance screen appeared in mid air to show the orange lit hallway to the emulaters. Three huminoid figures walked calmly down it to the Zohar chamber. They few guards that remained were taken out by a single strike from their tentacles. Something was familiar about the center one...  
  
chaos turned his head to purposly reveal himself to Gainun. Then the screen went staticy when he shot a fist full of energy at the camera.  
  
"Was tha--?" Mary couldn't finish.  
  
Gainun closed his eyes. So this is what had been happening to chaos all these years. He hadn't been dying in body. But rather both as best put.  
  
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Automatically the doors to the chamber opened. It was the most quiet part of the ship with the exception of a few explosions. The Triplets stopped at the center platform. chaos pressed a few keys on the nearby terminal. There was a release of pressure and mist as the casings slowly opened to reveal the emulaters. chaos glanced at each and every one of them. Now that he was here, he felt unsure. Even though Yavyn had told them to retrieve the "trinkets" so that he could awaken. But....  
  
With absolute gentleness the emulaters began to glow a soft white light. The flare increased to that of the sun. chaos and his sisters looked straight into them without being affected.  
  
They found themselves in the illusion prison of Cecily and Cathe, Febronia's little sisters. They ran around in an endless game of tag. Cathe the one who was 'it'. chaos had never understood why they were trapped here, but he had a guess.  
  
Abruptly Cecily dug in her heels, in doing so having her sister crash into her. The two little realians looked at chaos, inochi and shi with innocent curiousity. chaos was a little surprised at this, they weren't suppose to see anyone. Not even Nephilim.  
  
Cathe cautiosly stepped forword, Cecily hugging her from behind and following. Obviously she was very shy. The braver of the two examined the newcommers with great interest.  
  
Her face broke into a girly grin, "Sister we have some new playmates!"  
  
chaos and his sisters shifted uncomfortably. What was wrong with this girl? Of course all they saw was the lush and perfect landscape, but really it was a baren wasteland.  
  
Cecily and Cathe giggled and lifted their arms, sending a burst of energy into the air in the form of a song. What was cute little animals from a mystical land to them were gnosis gathering towards the emulaters. chaos smiled at them. It was almost too funny. The Serenity Triplets joined in the song, harmonizing their 'music' with Cathe's and Cecily's.  
  
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Gainun arrived in one minute too late. He was panting heavily from his fight and run. Sweat soaked his now rag tag suit. Alarms were howling, wires and circuits were overloading in the walls and floor. chaos was back to back with his sisters suspended in the air, light whirling into their bodies from the emulaters. Eyes closed peacefully as if they were sleeping. Gnosis had arrived and were organizing what they would do to get the Zohars out of the chamber.  
  
Many were already lifting the emulaters up into portals that were forming above them. Gainun glanced to his left in time to deflect an attacking gnosis with his telekenetic ability. Mary and Shelley suddenly appeared, followed by several human guards and weapons grade realians. All of them fired at will, trying to prevent the gnosis from taking the emulaters. It was all in vain. As soon as they shot one down, another instantly took its place. Gainun gathered in particles of light and fired with all his strength at chaos. Before the beam of intense blue light reached him it disipated. The triplet opened his eyes and looked at the URTV, a blank look, with a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He strained against something...himself?  
  
Gainun took a hesitent step forword, "chaos?"  
  
chaos was straining to say something. The beggining of his word seemed stuck in his throat. Without warning he dropped out of the air onto the platform. He landed with his knees bent deep, one palm pressed flat against the floor. Blue glowing lines began spreading from where his hand was, the pattern was similar to that of the Zohars. They spread until the entire ship was engulfed in them. Then the Durandel vanished.  
  
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Sorry it was so short. This was all i could put for this chap! Don't worry, the next one gets interesting. Review please! runs off in other direction gotta update my fics! ahhhh! 


	32. Flashback Part 8: Nex

Sailorjj07: Who needs a break? Me or you? I'm going to be gone a week soon so ya......

Chapter 32: Flashback Part 8: Nex

The scene blurred until nothing was distinguishable except the blurred figure beside them. Nephilim suddenly shivered, her form phasing in and out.

Shion stepped closer, "Nephilim are you alright?"Suddenly a women dressed in gray and black was helping the Guardian to her feet.

"Feb?" Shion managed to say after a moment of silence.

The realian--ghost--aparation whatever she was looked up, "Shion." she turned her attention back, "Nephilim, chaos and his sisters have collected all of the emulaters. It won't take them long before Yavyn Mistra is able to send them so that he can awaken."

This bit of news caught Jr.'s attention, "Wait, the emulaters were taken? Then what happened to Gaignun and the others? The Durandel?"

Febronia turned to the URTV, "chaos sent the Durandel hurling into the planet. It's been absorbed and so has its occupents. I'm sorry." Jr.'s face fell very slowly as the information sunk into his brain. MOMO placed her hands on his shoulders. Without warning the red head burst, "We don't have time to be watching our pasts! We've got to stop Yavyn and the Serenity Triplets."

Nephilim opened her eyes, "You are in no position to do such a thing. Until the time comes," behind her an image appeared in the fog that made them draw back. It was of them. Each of them was encased in a semi hard cacoon. Flesh tubes had peirced their skins and delved deep into their bodies. Throbbing with whatever was being injected in them. Their skin was beyond pale, and they weakly twitched with discomfort. Someone entered silently into the chamber. It was chaos.

He walked slowly, examining each of them with blank eyes. Finaly he halted in front of the diactivated body of Kos-mos. The android did not have flesh to infect, and what part of her that was not machine was safe with them. chaos continued to watch Kos-mos. Then he passed his gloved hand over her cacoon and in clouded over and hardened. He did the same with the others, hardening their cacoons of torture. Then stopped when he reached MOMO.

"Don't worry," he said to the sleeping figure, "you're not going to be killed quite yet."

MOMO couldn't stand it anymore! She couldn't stand how chaos was acting, how Joachim Mizrahi had hidden such deadly secrets within her. The image faded.

"What's the point?" She muttered in an almost sinister tone instead of screaming hysterically, "What's the point of facing our pasts if we can't use our new found strength of completion when we can't even wake up!" The fog began to take shape of buildings and plants, color returned to the "world". Nephilim didn't answer, only watched the scene unfold. Shion squinted, something was familiar about it. It was a major docking station similar to that of Old Miltia.

Tramp freighters, cruise, military and civilian ships continualy landed and took of on the huge airstrip located on a cliff near the sea. The sun had just burned away an afternoon mist and was shinning cheerily. A particular ship with a star stamped to its side landed and quickly wheeled off to unload its cargo of men. Someone stepped out of the aircraft and stretched his arms above his head. He had dirt blonde hair neatly combed back, and was wearing a special ops uniform. MOMO, despite her almost blind with fear of what would happen to them made a link between someone.

"Ziggy!"

"What?" Shion turned.

"That looks like Ziggy!"

Sure enough, when the group looked more closely they could see more of the cyborg's features. The only difference was that the one beside them looked a bit more.....dead. Ziggurat 8 for once looked terrafied, he turned to run in childish fear but was instantly face to face with Febronia who had seemed to vanish. She looked calmly into his eyes and pointed back, "Don't become more lost in your memories than you already are." was all she said. Nephilim was patient, "This is John Zauer before he was reanimated from the dead."

"John Zauer?" MOMO looked at her guardian who was on one knee, shuddering, "That was your name wasn't it, before you became Ziggy." The cyborg didn't look at her.

John descended the steps of the space ship quickly and headed for the port building. Several times he had to cover his eyes with his gloved hands so that the roar of a landing or taking off ship didn't completely damage his hearing. He carried under his arm a box of small but pretty good size to hold something in. The special agent entered the busy airport and waited.

John glanced at his watch, "She's late." he stood there keeping an eye out for his ride. He didn't have to wait long.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

He turned around to see a woman with long brown hair that went down to her waist, "Are you looking for someone?" she asked, blue eyes sparkling. John smiled. His wife, Elly Zauer, kissed him lightly on the lips before leading him through the croud of people.

"How was your mission?" Elly asked after awhile.

John sighed in exasperation, "Long. We lost a few of our men trying to subdue some crazy terrorists."

"Aren't all terrorists crazy? I'm sorry about your men." they reached the more or less quiet dock for incomming civilian aircrafts.

He shrugged, "They were naive to my orders, that's all I'm angry about. How's your son?" John added as they climbed into their vehicle. It started up and a computer voice said, "Welcome back Mrs. Zauer. What is your destination?"

"Home."

"Confirmed. Please set you're speed."

Elly's slender finger pressed a few buttons on the screen and the hovercraft began moving on its own, settling into traffic smoothly, "Abel's fine, I didn't bring him because he had to go to a doctors apointment. His diabete's you know of course. The doctors say it'll only take a few more nano treatments before it's completely gone."

"Who took him then if you came to get me?"

"My close friend Angela Mitsu, remember her? Although Abel put on quite a fuss on going, he said he wanted to come with me cause he missed you."

"H-he does?"

Elly laughed at his uncertainty, "Of course silly, just because Abel has lost his real father doesn't mean he wants to shut you out. You should see him when you suddenly leave on a mission. He sits there at the window and tries to wait there all day, constantly asking me when you're coming home."

The agent leaned back, "So he's pretty much over Jarred?"

"The pain will always be there, but now Abel's been filled with new life since you came." Elly noted the something, "What's that you got honey?"

"Oh, uh, just something I thought Abel might like. It's a Nexus Type Artificial: Miniature Collie. Do you think--?"

"Of course he'll like it! You know how much he loves animals."

John was still feeling uncertain as he always did around Abel. He'd never felt comfortable around kids although he tried his best. For a long while the two sat in silence, watching the other hovercrafts out the tinted windows. John didn't know the last time he'd had silence like he had now. On the field there was always something to do, and most of the time it involved yelling and gun fire. His department wasn't the type to take crap, especially when it came to retrieving both sleepers and active terrorists.

The hovercraft came to a hault near an apartment building near the more _'rural'_ area of the city was. Nearby was a park that Shion recognized. It was a little different considering the time frame, but it still was the same park she'd played in when she was little.

"Aren't we going to pick up Abel? Or is or is going to bring him?" John asked as they stepped out.

"He's already home. There's Angela's car over there."

John glanced at his box, "C-could you tell Abel that I'll meet him out here? Just tell him the reason is a surprise."

Elly grinned, "Of course."

Once his wife was out of sight, John set the box down and opened it on the other side of a raised platform garden. He followed the instructions and the artificial dog sparked to life. Awkwardly John told it to stay and walked around the garden to wait for his stepson. A few mintues later a little boy with short brown hair with a cap, shorts, t-shirt and fingerless gloves, looking about ten years old, bounded down the stairs and across the asphault ground, "Dad! You're home!" Abel leaped into John's arms and hugged him tight, "Glad you're back Dad, I really am. Hey, Mom said you had a surprise for me!" the youngster began jumping up and down excitedly, bright amber eyes shining with anticipation.

"Heh, uh, come with me and you'll find out." John led Abel by the hand around the garden where the artificial dog was.

Abel laughed with absolute pleasure, he ran and scooped it up in his arms, "Thanks Dad!"

"Ah," John rubbed the back of his head, "I wanted to get you a real one, but I just couldn't get one."

"No it's great Dad! What's his name? Did ya give him one yet?"

"Nexus 6."

Abel's expression turned serious, "That's just his model number isn't it? That makes him sound like a robot."

"Uh, ya." he felt really stupid at this moment.

Abel rocked back on his heels thinking, "Hmm, I know! How bout Nex! It's short for Nexus 6. What do you think Dad?"

"Ya, that's a great name." John smiled.

"Really?" he set his newly named dog on the ground, it barked and tried to jump on his knees, "Come on boy!" Abel laughed as Nex chased him around the garden.

John smile broadened until suddenly his stepson suddenly fell over, "Abel!" with lightning speed the agent ran over to him, "Abel what's wrong?"

The ten year old coughed, looking a bit pale, "I'm ok Dad, really." Nex whined and gently licked his master's cheek. Abel hugged him close.

"It's your nano treatment isn't it? Damn it Abel you should have told me!"

Abel flinched at the harshness in his stepfather's voice, "I'm sorry! I didn't know it would still be working two hours after they put them in me! Don't be mad!"

The agent's expression softened, "I'm not angry son, I'm just worried that you might hurt yourself. Until your treatments are finished I don't want you to do anything too rough ok?"

"Yes, sorry for not telling you."

John patted him on the head, "Next time think, come on let's get you inside." he picked up both his son and Nex and headed inside the building. The sun had burnt away the last of the mist so now it was a bright and cheery day. Whether or not that peace would last very long. chaos watched the son and father enter their home. Only time would tell.

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"Abel? Did you start running around? I told you you couldn't until--."

"Shush Elly, I took care of it." John set Abel and his new pet down on the couch and crouched next to him, "Don't forget to take care of Nex, he's your responcibility now and a big one."

Abel nodded, "Don't worry Dad, he's the best gift I ever had." John smiled and ruffled the other's hat before turning back to Elly who was standing next to Angela in the kitchen. Angela said she had a meeting to go to and left after saying welcome back to him and adoring Nex, who licked her affectionatelly. Elly poured a cup of coffee for her husband, "You won't be leaving any time soon I hope."

He accepted the cup and took a sip, "It all depends if my department needs me again any time soon. I sure hope not though."

"Me neither, you're gone too much in my opinion. Why don't you request a transfer and get an office job?" Elly suggested.

He shrugged, "It's not that easy Elly. Plus my department is short on men and I'm their headman, I can't exactly just back out on them. Besides an office job would still keep me away."

"You'd atleast be home every night most of the time."

"Oh Elly, you know how much I hate paperwork."

"Then get a job at a realian maintanence lab I don't care."

John noticed his wife seemed a bit aggitated, "You have to be in the Vector First R&D Division to be in that job." he hugged her, "Don' worry, I'll think of something. But you'll have to be patient." without warning Nex came running, barking madly and running around them in repeated circles.

"Nex! Nex come here boy!"

John tried to keep from getting tripped and spilling his coffee, "Nex! Abel you stay on that couch I don't want you running around. Nex, go and sit!" John pointed firmly and the excited 'dog' ran around a few more times before running back to Abel and leaping onto his lap. He lay down, panting and wagging happily. _Maybe a bit too happy..._John shook his head and took another drink of his coffee. Oh well, Abel loved it and that's all that mattered.

The family spent the majority of the day talking and catching up with an excited Nex that almost started chewing on the carpet. Luckily he couldn't do anything other than tear it up. They went out during the early evening so that Abel could teach his dog how to play fetch. John and Elly sat and watched, amused as Abel tried to teach Nex what the word 'fetch' meant. The creators had made sure it wouldn't be as easy as pie, wanting it to be as real as possible.

chaos watched the family from his perch on a nearby cement stone wall. His chin was held by both of his gloved hands and his expression was that of deep thinking.

"Is something wrong chaos?" Virgil asked, appearing out of nowhere standing beside him.

chaos blinked, then sat up straight and stretched, "No more than something I don't understand."

"And what is it that you don't understand?"

The triplet pointed, "That's one of the men I saw when the crystal in the temple went haywire. But there's something different. This isn't how he looks at all."

"Perhaps you saw what might happen to him."

"Maybe." chaos watched as the miniature collie ran after a frisbee, "Is the gnosis still coming?"

"Unfourtunately yes, humans are becoming their prime directive now. Especially since it's coming down to the wire." Virgil looked up as a few ships flew by.

"That's too bad. You don't mind if I help keep them away do you?" chaos didn't see the other's face because of his mask, but he sensed the hesitation and he knew why, "I'm fine Virgil," he squeezed his shoulder breifly, "I'm sure I can handle this virous on my own for now atleast."

"You are doing good so far. It's obvious that the queen is not wanting to kill you." Virgil crossed his arms.

"Not me physically anyway. I have an idea of what this _'poison' _is trying to do to me." chaos tilted his head back and gazed up into the liquid blue sky, "I just hope she doesn't do the same to my sisters."

Virgil snorted, "Knowing that wench it's most likely she will. Keep your mind open to that fact chaos, so the hurt won't be as much."

"Ya I know." chaos watched the family for a few more minutes, not having to look that Virgil wasn't there any longer. The setting son splashed the Old Miltian city with orange pink, the shadows stretching long and obstract. Cold licked at the edges of chaos' face as the night began to tighten its cold fingers on the land. The Zauer's called Abel and the family plus Nex went back inside. chaos suddenly placed his hands over his ears as something began rushing through his brain. It wasn't enough to make him flinch, but it made him unable to think. All he knew the gnosis were communicating with eachother while sending messages back to Yavyn Mistra. His face fell, if they were this close for him to hear them, either willingly or not that meant they were wasting no time in coming.

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Oky doky there's your chap, you won't be getting one from me next week cause i'll be gone to canada. Review please!


	33. Part 9: Itaino Kokoro

Lady Nightmare: No i don't think i have read your fic although i will in the future. I just put Elly and Abel in there because Abel looked a lot like his son in Xenosaga. And from a bit more research and hints. It's funny cause i've never played Xenogears before. I've only seen pictures.

SouleatingBloodsin: No i actually like being corrected for certain things, just not my every little mistake. Ya my spelling's been off since i don't have my Microsoft Word program anymore. But i do my best to keep it straight.

Nikki: Thanks for your comment. And sorry for so many flashbacks, but they're crucial to the story. Don't worry it's getting down to it. Plus action's about to come up XD.

HeavenAngel: No i was not waiting for that many reviews, really i've been busy with other things. Otherwise i would've updated earlier.

Yes peoples I'm home! i'm home i'm HOME!!! YAAAAAYYY!!! runs around in circles Here's your chap! Although i wanted to make Ziggy's part longer i just didn't have enough stuff to work on.

Chapter 33: Itaino Kokoro

John sat on the couch next to the window of the living room. His gaze turned towards the window. The lights were off except for a few pale green glowing night lights left for Abel in case he needed to go in the middle of the night. The agent sighed, content with the silence and the feeling in the air. Each place if you payed attention, had a different scent and feeling to it. Like at his work, the air was always filled with tension, seriousness and order. Here at home it was more relaxed, serene, and playfull. The lights glittered across the city like flaming jewels of the night, clustered together on a dark canvas. Making it a beautiful sight. John gazed a little longer before turning away.

Suddenly there was a jingling sound and a very short shadow came trotting in from the hallway. Nex panted happily at sight of John and leaped easily onto his lap and lay down. John stroked the artificial dog's silky fur, marveling how at real it felt. But then again, he'd never touched a real dog before. The miniature collie eventually closed his eyes and fell asleep. Actually it was concerving power but it looked like it was asleep.

"Can't sleep?" Elly's quit voice asked as she leaned against the hallway wall, wearing a silk robe over her night clothes.

John shook his head, "No not really. I'm tired but only in the body. Plus I'm just glad to be home."

Elly smiled and made her way over to her husband and sat leaning against him, "How long before you leave again?" she asked after a moment of silence.

John sighed again, feeling more tired than before, "In a few weeks I think. You never know with my superiors though."

"Your son won't be happy about you leaving."

"I know, but I have to support this family whether I like my job or not. Don't worry I'll try and get one that doesn't require me to go out into the field."

"That would be much appreciated."

John snickered, "Ya it would be." Suddenly Nex's ears pricked and he lifted his head, was silent a moment, then barked. John tried to silence the dog but it became persistent, "Nex! I said be _quit_!" John almost yelled. Nex whined, placing his tail between his legs. His eyes looking up at the sky through the window.

Abruptly there was a noise and a voice sounded from the next room, "Mommy? Daddy? Where'd Nex go? Nex!" Abel called. The dog ignored him until Abel stumbled sleepily into the living room, rubbing the grit from his eyes.

"Nex? Oh there you are, come here boy." he scooped him up, "Dad? How come you and Mommy aren't asleep?"

"We're just talking son, go on back to sleep."

"Ok." Abel yawned again and left by way of the nightlights, with Nex under one arm.

The next day the Zauer family decided to take their son and his new dog to do a little shopping. At first Abel carried Nex, but then they foound an accesory store and bought a leash for him. Abel stood there looking at the little squeeky toys and bones meant for both artificial and real animals. He stood on his toes to get a better look at the shelf above but couldn't see anything. Abel glanced up at John. He hesitated, then picked him up by the waist and held him.

Abel slipped the loop from the leash up his wrist and picked up a rubber bone, "What do ya think Dad?

"Uh, ya that looks fine. But don't you think Nex would like a smaller one? This seems a little too big." His step son took a moment to compare again, "Ya I guess you're right." Abel set the bone back on the shelf and picked up an identical smaller one. John set him back on his feet so that Abel could allow Nex to sniff it. Nex barked happily and attempted to take it.

Abel quickly pulled it away, "No no Nex, not yet. Mom and Dad need to buy it first then you can have it." the two boys and artificial dog left the toy section and found Elly with a small shopping basket filled with a few more dog toys and other items. Abel placed the rubber bone in with the other stuff and held his dad's gloved hand when they walked up to the register, where a woman wearing a service uniform was purchasing a bird cage.

"Hi!" Abel said rather loudly. The woman turned and smiled down at him, "Hello." then she picked up the cage and left the store.

Elly looked at her son, "Abel you shouldn't talk to strangers like that." she gently scolded as she set their items down on the counter.

"Why not?"

"You never know who you could be talking to. They might take you away or hurt you."

"Why would they want to do that?"

Elly slid her card down the slot and started punching in her numbers. John decided to answer this, "Because not all people are nice and caring Abel. You always have to be careful."

"Oh ok."

"Here Abel, your dog so you have to carry his things." Elly handed the plastic sack to him. Which he took without complaint. For parents that always braced themselves for the typical barrage of whines from their kids, Abel was an exception. Mature for his age, only wanting to please his parents and be with his step dad. Both Elly's and John's guess were that his real father's death had opened the little one's eyes a little early to the world. The door bell beeped as they left.

It was a typical day in the Miltia city, people coming and going to work, authorities patrolling the streets, children at play, adolescents going to parties or school. Abel managed to swindle his parents into buying him an icecream bar which Nex almost knocked out of his hands at one point.

chaos watched them with a sort of fascinated gaze. It was more than extremly rare for his race to actually have an offspring. The only young ones they had at the moment were the ones that had been reborn completely. It was hard to imagine that this man's work forced him to be away from such a precious gift. That would not be tolerated in his existence. The family continued their walk through the city, oblivious to the fact chaos was following them. He walked casually, stopping to look at some o the things the humans had built. Never actually looking at them, especially John, knowing that in doing so the agent would sense they were being followed. Humans may not have the best senses in all the universes, but they still had them.

The phoenix suddenly looked up at the sky, he heard another wave of communication between the horde of gnosis coming. Why didn't the human's machine's pick all this up? Then it occured to chaos that their scanners weren't looking, plus not capable of detecting gnosis 'speech'. They detecting only their presence, which by then would be a little too late for them to prepare properly. Let's hope the horde wasn't planning to take the entire city.

chaos continued to follow the family not really sure why, but then halted when something caught his attention. He turned his head and looked up at what looked like a business building. Something odd yet familiar was emminating from it. chaos approached the main doors which didn't open automatically. Obviously you had to punch in a code to get inside. chaos raised his hand as if to put the code in on the keypad next to the door. But instead he passed right through it like he was a ghost. The guards and workers, not even the cameras took note of him. He was still in plain sight, but chaos used a more simpler art of invisibility. It was where you went inside your mind and created an invisible force that didn't make your body invisible. But your presence to the ones around you. So even if a security guard looked into a camera which recorded him, they wouldn't acknowledge him being there.

chaos didn't know the building at all, but he walked around as if he did. Being pulled by an unknown force. He approached several locked doors and passed through them. He kept on going till he reached a level that wasn't on the public blue prints. Here there were men and women in white lab coats fussing over equipment and data. Guards stood at every doorway, guns at the ready.

"So that's why the gnosis are coming." chaos mumbled under his breath as he spyed a giant chamber containing an emulater. chaos could sense the piece that was missing from it when Cherankov had taken apart of it to make it more difficult to gather them. At the thought of the Elder chaos wondered how well he was doing. The only reason he wasn't effected by the Original was most likely because he'd been preserved in his current state in the obsidion coffin.

Very faintly chaos could sense the gnosis sending silent request to the emulater. Asking it to overload the peoples equipment and activate so that it would be easier to find it. It took a great amount of coaxing for the request to be considered then granted. As of now the emulaters weren't exactly "smart".

chaos left the building quickly, feeling the nagging tug from the bit of the Original inside tempting him to join the emulater in calling the gnosis. Of course when he went outside the Zauers had vanished. It was no problem for him though to find them though. He picked up their unique life energy and tracked them to another quiet park within the city a few blocks down.

Here when he found them, Elly was wiping chocolet crumbs and ice cream from her sons face while John sat on a nearby shaded bench. Nex reared on his hind legs and planted his fore paws on the agent's leg, staring up at him with big puppy eyes and panted.

"Don't you give me those begging chibi eyes." John told the dog as he nudged him away with his toe. Abel set the bag of new dog toys beside his father and pulled out a neon green frisbee, "Come on Nex! Let's try playing fetch again!" he laughed and ran out into the field.

"Now stay where we can see you Abel, and keep your dog from running off!" Elly called after him.

"Ok Mommy--hey give it back Nex! I haven't even thrown it yet!" Abel argued as he and the miniature collie began a tug o' war fight. John laughed slightly, then reached into the plastic sack and tossed Abel a thick braded rope meant for this game. Abel caught it, at the same time managing to wrench the frisbee out of the animal's teeth. Nex instantly jumped for the rope, jerking his head back and forth, pulling Abel across the grass. He laughed and tugged back, determined to win the war.

After a good ten minutes of wrestling over the rope, Nex suddenly let go, sending Abel and the rope flying. The rope sailed through the air and rolled across the ground and stopped at chaos' feet. Abel ran over to retrieve it but stopped short a few steps when he saw who was standing over it. chaos' eyes softened. The boy was considering his parents rule. chaos picked up the toy and handed it to him. Then turned and left.

"Thank you!" Abel called after him then turned and ran back to Nex who had been sitting patiently for him. The artificial dog wagged his tail happily, his toungue hanging out. John looked up into the clear sky. So suddenly it surprised him, the hairs on the back of his head prickled. The agent jumped so badly Elly was spooked as well, "John? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," John rubbed the back of his neck, "Just thought I felt something."

"Daddy? What's that sound?"

"What sound?" John and Elly stood up, after a moment they recognized the rythmic honk of the city alarm.

"Abel, get Nex now." Elly ordered.

"Why? We just got here."

"Now Abel." John's voice was stern, as soon as his step son gathered his things John picked him up. Nex running at their side by the leash. As they exited the park the alarms were more obvious. Civilians were scrambling for safety while military AGWS were activated and brought to battle.

"Defcon 1 alert! All hands man your battle stations, the gnosis have engaged the outer space defense and are penetrating to inner defense. All citezens report to the escape ships. Repeat..."

"Daddy!" Abel looked frightened.

"Don't worry son." John handed the boy over to Elly, "Take him."

"What are we gonna do John?"

The agent loaded his gun, "Get out of here. If all goes well the military may be able to hold off those things." the trio faught their way through the mass crouds of civilians trying to get to their home where they already had a ship. It was next to impossible with everyone else crouding around them. Suddenly there was a scream and explosion around the corner. They halted as something that seemed not to be there, yet was there walk into sight. People panicked completely and scattered. John looked up into the sky to see hundreds of gold spheres falling through the atmosphere. Several landed and exploded all around them. Elly looked up in horror at the gnosis. AGWS began firing, foot soldiers trying to stay orginized while fighting the gnosis.

John did his best to protect his family, "This way." He grabbed his wife's wrist and ran between two gnosis and into an alley. After several twists and turns they came upon a wrecked wall where a gnosis was feeding upon the carcuss of a soldier. It acknowledged their presence and looked up, no aparent eyes on its grotesque face. John aimed carefully at it and fired, Abel pressed his hands against his ears, tears streaming down his face.

Being a weaker gnosis, the creature took damage from the bullets but stumbled forward none the less. They backed away at the same pace until it fell dead. Instantly he ran passed it, followed closely by his wife. Nex was growling madly and his hackles were raised, making him look malevolent. But the gnosis didn't sense any life in him so there for, did not acknowledge his "presence".

They reached the main street and stopped. There were fires, rubble, trashed vehicles, and dead laying everywhere. One way of the road was blocked by piled up cars and unearthed cement. A couple of gnosis walking the oposite way turned when they appeared. John started to steer them back down the alley but stopped when an FAE came skittering towards them.

"Mommmyyy!!" Abel tugged on her uniform collar, tears splashing down his face like a mini waterfall.

Suddenly there was an explosion that shook the ground right where the approaching gnosis were. When the light and dust cleared, several figures came coolly walking out of the smoke. John lowered his gun a little in surprise. They held no weapons, and wore strange masks over their faces. One turned around and sent a blast of energy from his sparking hand and instantly killed an approaching gnosis. He turned and planted his feet firmly in sync with the others. Blowing gnosis after gnosis to shreds.

chaos suddenly appeared beside them, "This way!" he called. He led them back down the alley and took a different route.

"What the heck are those people? Are the cyborgs?!" Elly yelled as they ran. chaos didn't answer, instead he vanished when he turned the corner ahead of them.

"Where'd he go?" Elly looked around frantically for their guide. John stopped when he saw there was a ship nearby on a private launch pad. He gestured in that direction and they ran as fast as they could. The air turned cold suddenly, almost frosty. The ground rumbled, then shook as the building beside them crashed apart as a giant gnosis came tumbling. It seemed to be wrestling with one of the people that had been keeping them at bay. John ushered his wife forward, "Go! Now"

Yet another explosion and more gnosis piled onto the platform. Abel screamed while John brought up his gun and fired at the oncoming rush. One of the strangely dressed figured appeared in front of them, dark purple leather cloak flying as he fended them off. Something off to the side flashed and flew up into the sky. The Elders saw this and most of them vanished and pursued the glowing sphere.

"Virgil!" chaos yelled. He leaped by the gnosis side and attempted to help the phoenix. The gnosis appeared to be trying to eating him whole. They couldn't transport them like they could humans, but that didn't mean they could do a great amount of damage. chaos was knocked and pinned to the ground. John watched as the ethreal figure of the monster showed the man inside turn a white inside.

chaos heard several shots ring out. He looked up at the gnosis' face as it was impaled with bullets. Remembering something, chaos concentrated on the Original that he had. The gnosis suddenly froze and began to quietly disapate. First from its hand where it had chaos pinned down, then it totally vanished. Virgil's color returned as he fell to the ground. He lay very still. chaos panicked at the sight, he turned the elder over to see that his face was covered in green veins. The fact of him turning gnosis wasn't for him, his phoenix side prevented that...or atleast to turning completely, "Virgil?"

"Elly watch out!"

chaos looked up in time to see the agent shove his wife away and fire on a charging gnosis. Elly fell onto the ground still holding Abel protectively, but in the process lost Nex's leash. The miniature collie ran up to the gnosis trying to fend it off. Abel struggled out of his mothers arms, "Nex come back that thing's dangerous! Nex!"

"Abel come back!!" Elly cried in panick, missing grabbing him by an inch. chaos leaped to his feet and ran to aid them but was slowed by more gnosis swarming them.

John turned from the gnosis he'd just killed and realized what his son was doing, "ABEL GET AWAY FROM THAT THING!!"

Abel was grabbing a squirming artificial dog when the gnosis snatched him up. His scream froze chaos, Elly and John. The white faded from the child's body suddenly. He didn't shatter, but when the limp body fell to the ground it was mutilated into a pathetic worm like creature with no eyes. John looked down at what had been his son. Elly stared in complete horror.

John suddenly glared upwards, rage bubbling through his heated veins, "BASTAAARDS!!" bullets whistled through the air nonstop as the enraged man went on a vain killing spree. He stopped only when a flash of light blinded him. John lowered his hand enough to see something huge standing on the platform.

chaos' eyes widened as he realized what it was, "Virgil no!" the Ein Rugel, the thing the group had faced on the Song of Nephilim after they'd battled with Simeon, stepped forward. It was in its chaotic stage, where it couldn't tell friend from foe, and unless they could change it back in time it would continue its rampage until it was turned. chaos charged up and sent a blast of energy at it, making it falter. It brought out a bow from no where and began firing Chaos Arrows at the phoenix. chaos evaded them with ease but it wouldn't be soon before the Ein Rugel would catch on.

And indeed it did, the strange circle stopped on the red behind its back and it gathered energy for an attack. It sent a concentrated beam of fire at chaos. Who lifted his hands and blocked it with a shield, he slid across the ground several feet before he managed to stop. John fell back on his feet from the blast of heat still eminating from the shield holding back the attack. He called for his wife but she remained where she was,staring at nothing. The agent climbed across the debri over to her, the heat becomming unbearable, he felt as if his inners would boil soon.

chaos strained, trying to hold the Ein Rugel back. He slid back a few more feet. Eventually it would have to charge, then it would attack again. At that split second moment he'd have a chance. Suddenly he realized that his shield was cracking. One side completely shattered and then the whole thing collapsed. chaos ran lightspeed and knocked John away just in time. Unfourtunately he didn't have time to save Elly who looked at the super heated flames without emotion and was insinerated. In a fluid motion chaos leaped away from John and sent a powerful stream of white energy at the thing and recieved a direct hit.

John looked at the melted cement buildings behind them, then painfully stood up and stared at the charred earth where Elly had sat. Both of them were gone now, the people he'd cared for most was now gone. Just like that, in a few seconds they had vanished from the face of this universe. Never to be seen again. The pain....he just couldn't let them go now.

chaos glanced over his shoulder then suddenly whipped completely around, "NO!"

_BANG!_

Droplets of blood spattered out the other side of John's head as the bullet passed through. At the same time Ziggy pressed his metal fingers against his left temple. MOMO gasped and looked away.

Sound faded as chaos stood and watched John fall to the ground. The scene began to fade into the distance.

"Death is all you wished Ziggy, and you still wish for it, to erase the pain that you've endured. This is where you can make that choice. To forever end your pain and possibly be reunited with your lost family. Are you sure this is what you want?" Nephilim's slow deep voice echoed into the mist. The cyborg found himself alone. He glanced around into the endless milky white. It felt like he was suspended in mid air even though he felt solid ground beneath his metal feet.

The sound was faint at first, then grew louder as that person approached. Her high heels clicking loudly. Someone clothed in black, red and tourqoise stepped out of the mist. shi stood there barely a foot from Ziggy's face. She was smiling gently at him, fiddling with her long lock of hair that was wrapped in a hair wrap. Ziggy shifted uncomfortably, wondering why the "young woman" was there.

shi casually flipped her only long lock of hair back over her shoulder and in a smooth motion thrust out her spear. Making the cyborg actually jump. It was an odd gesture, she held it as if she were offering it to him. He hesitated, trying to figure out what was going on.

shi's kept her smile then suddenly past her arm over her face. Snapping a black robe that had appeared over her body out of nowhere. The robe hid her face with a hood, its tattered edges giving her a worn look. Instead of her spear, she now held a scythe, its shaft pitch black and the curved blade stained with blood. Ziggy took a step back. He didn't know what it was, but something inside did. shi was representing Death, the Fallen Angel. The mythical creature that delivered the spirits of those that needed or deserved death. Another thing that registered: the triplet's name. shi actually didn't mean death itself. But rather the number four in Japanese. And to them the number four was a bad number just like to the Americans six. It brought either a curse or death with it.

The skeleton raised its face until the hood was lifted enough to see its empty sockets of fire. It took the scythe in both fleshless hands and raised it to strike. Ziggy did not move. This was the moment he'd wanted all his tortured undead life, for the pain to end. He had nothing that tied him to this life. Death brought down the blade with all its might.

"ZIGGY!!" MOMO's voice cried out in the cyborgs heart.

Just in time he raised his arm blade to parley the deadly weapon away. Death slowly looked over to the side where Ziggy now stood ready to fight. It hissed and charged at him again, cloak billowing out, making it look twice the size it was. The sight made the synthetic blood that was pulsing through his fake vains almost freeze. But the cyborg charged up and attacked with his Hell Fire. The creature did not slow, the flames seemed to cower into dying as it practically glided across the ground. Ziggy met it with all his strength. They attacked eachother viciously, neither willing to give up. Ziggy eventually found himself loosing energy fast just trying to defend himself while Death seemed to be full of energy.

"Cross Lancer!" Ziggy managed to pull of a Tech Attack that blew the thing away from him. Unfourtunately the Fallen Angel landed gracefully on its feet. It stood there, giving him the impression it was mocking him. The blade of the scythe began to glow and it struck out with it, sending a shockwave of black energy at him. Ziggy countered it with Hell's Fire.

Instead of stopping it like he'd hoped, his attack made the shockwave bigger. This was the moment Ziggy realized that you couldn't counter death with death. You could only drive it off.

How he managed to dodge the demon's attack only God knew. But once again the cyborg was battling blade against blade with Death. It didn't matter what he did, he just couldn't get past the skeletons defense to strike him. Death blocked the others blade with the shaft of his weapon, allowing him to try brute force. The Fallen Angel laughed in Ziggy's head and thrust him off it, sending him flying a good ten feet.

Ziggy charged again, "Let's go!" he lifted his metal hand, gathering a ball of energy then crushed it, "Exicutioner!" he snapped his hand down and looked away as a gigantic blade dropped from above and sliced Death in half. It didn't move. Suddenly stiff with pain, Ziggy turned fully away and began to walk into the nothingness. Unsure of what else to do.

A strange sandy sound caught his ear. The cyborg turned to see the bones crmbling away but the robe was restitching itself in mid air. A faint glow seem to be eminating from inside the ragged cloth. It increased until engulfed him in an endless void of white.

When Ziggy could see again he was standing before two grave stones in a well tended graveyard. A white mist prevented him fron seeing more than ten feet in all directions. At last Ziggy read the names on the tombstones:

_**Elly Zauer**_

_**Beloved wife and mother**_

_**48204832**_

_**Abel Alexander Zauer**_

_**Killed by the gnosis; is forever loved and missed.**_

_**48244832**_

"You can still join them you know." a gentle, deep female voice said, "You've passed the test. But you still hold the choice of getting rid of the pain." shi stood on the other side of the tombstones, Death's robe covering her slim body, obviously too big for her.

"What do you mean? The pain will always be there. If I'm dead in spirit as a cyborg, then the pain will live on."

"Pain will always remain in those moments yes, but it's whether you allow it to consume you." shi looked deeply into his robotic eyes, "You are allowing this to happen. It is eating you alive and will eventually destroy you. Death is one of the only things that will cure your agony. But from what I gather about your race's belief's, you are nothing more than a shell of memories. The soul that held you is gone, but since you were reanimated your soul is gone but the memories remain." shi passed between the two graves right up to Ziggy, placing her red gloved hand against his cheek, "Do you still wish to recieve this?" He was only what had left behind? Then, if he didn't truly have a soul then what was the point of living?

"Yes I still do."

shi's face crinkled in what seemed to be amusment, "What about MOMO?"

"What about her? She's in good hands. If all goes well Jr. will take care of her. They are very fond of eachother. I was merely an escort for her to Second Miltia."

"Oh really?" shi's smile didn't faulter, "You are so niave. Or maybe not that, just not willing to see the truth of how she sees you."

Ziggy's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"

shi laughed and placed her other hand on the other side of his face, "MOMO sees you as more than a guardian now. More like a father than anything else."

"A...father?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" shi grinned, "MOMO brought out that fatherly touch you still have in your heart. And even though she misses her real father greatly, you help ease that pain. To leave her would be to take away one that she cared for once again. And to experience that pain twice in one's life, is more painful than death." her right hand slid down his neck and stopped at the artificial heart that pulsed beneath his chest.

This had never occured to Ziggy that the little realian had thought of him in that way. Then again, shi was right, he'd neglected any sign of affection as much as he could because she'd reminded him of Abel at times. Did he really want to leave MOMO with the agony he'd felt when he had seen Elly and Abel die. Like shi had said, pain would always remain in the memories but if you let it consume you, it only grew worse.

"Become your own person Zigurat, John Zauer died that day of the gnosis attack. Make a new life with the chance the Life Recycling Act gave you. It may not be in the brightest of circimstances or anything, but it's atleast a second chance. Will you take it? Or succumb to your agony that's been plagueing you all your reanimated life? Leave MOMO, or return to her."

Ziggy finally came to a disicion, "Return to her. I can't let her go through what I did...again. Losing a loved one is not something anyone wants to experience."

shi gave him a toothy grin and leaped up into the air, "You've faced your past Ziggy, you past the test and shall no longer feel the agony as of before. So do not try to burry it further. You have accepted the entirity of your memories." the aparation of shi's memories faded into the wind like sand off of a desert dune.

MOMO shook the cyborg once again, "Ziggy? Ziggy what's wrong!"

He snapped out of it and looked down at the little pink haired realian. She looked back with great concern, "Ziggy are you ok? What happened?"

The cyborg knelt beside her, taking her hands in his, "I'm fine MOMO--now atleast."

ARG!! i wanted it to be longer! But oh well. I hope i did ok. Review please!


	34. Heritage is Agony

**Nikki: Did it drag on? Sry about that, i didn't realize that.**

**Lady Nightmare: thank you **

**Skyspiral: I have both spoiler sites and friends who tell me stuff for the game related facts. And Febronia is the realian Shion and co met inside Kos-mos' encephalon.**

**FFfangirlH: I was wondering where you went! Welcome back! (hugz you)**

**Fiery: ok ok!**

**Makoume Yuffie: Probably, i know that xenosaga was based off of xenogears. But i have a problem with that. It's the fact that i don't have any sort of system other than the PC. (cries)**

**Gah! Sorry! I suddenly came into a plotline block when i realized something was wrong with the future chapters so i had to redo a lot of things. And for those of you who are getting tired of these flashpacks please hang on a little longer! i'm having problems with the storyline and Shion's part should only go for another chapter then it's gonna be a mix of Jr. and MOMO and then the present storyline will continue.**

Chapter 34: Part 10: Heratige Is Agony

chaos placed his hand against the stone wall so as to steady himself. He'd been running errands for Wilhelm and Nephilim for over ten--or was it twenty years? He couldn't remember. All he could remember at the current moment was that he was back on Miltia again some how (Old Miltia). The ground dipped under his feet, the alley way blurring before his vision. chaos let his hand slip so that his shoulder now touched the wall. He rubbed his aching temples; his suit sticky and clining to him with cold sweat. Those dark green veins creeping up his neck again.

_Ugh I'm losing it here.....how can I hold back this sickness that's consuming me?_

The phoenix's knees suddenly buckled without warning. chaos took a deep breath to steady himself, trying to clear his mind. But all he could feel was that ever tightning grip Yavyn Mistra was gaining. chaos scrunched his eyes closed and rubbed his temples again.

_I'm so weak I can barely think!_ He glanced up at the passerby's near the end of the alley way, not noticing him in the darkness. chaos stretched out a hand as if begging for help. He tried to call out but his throat seemed to have closed off from his lack of water and nutrients. Heavy mist fell from his open mouth. Abruptly an image came to his mind, fuzzy yet clear enough to be read as one from his visions as he now knew they were called.

chaos leaped straight up and landed on the roof of the building next to him. Again he leapt up, and like a cat he climbed the monsterous sky scrapers till he'd reached the peak of the main department building. There the wind tugged at his silver hair, cooling his body temperature to beyond death limit. He let out an inhuman sound, tentacles slipping out of his back then back in. chaos slowly turned in a full circle, eyes closed as he searched for something. _There!_

chaos leaped off of the two hundred story building. His tentacles fanned out, the aura they gave off oily and disgusting. They caught the air like wings and carried him beyond the downtown to the more peaceful, quiet part of the Miltian city. She was here....after all this long time he hadn't seen her.

She'd hid deliberately from all of them as a request of Wilhelm. Not even chaos had been notified of how she was. But at the moment, chaos wasn't exactly in the state of mind to talk to old friends.

The demented looking phoenix landed silently in the crown of trees near the park where only a few occupants were. Swiftly yet gracefully, chaos weaved in between the branches like water and settled down to wait. Through the dense leaves and branches he caught the sight of four children playing. In the distance sat two figures, one in grey and black realian clothes, the other in simple civilian clothes.

"You're 'it' Cecily!" the little brown haired girl laughed.

"Nuh uh it's Jin!" the very young realian complained good heartily. She looked basically like her sister, Cathe. Orange sweater, black skirt and stockings and shoes.

A black haired boy, a little older than the girls feinted pouting, "Is not! It's Shion's turn!"

"Is not!" Shion's flourescent green eyes sparked with laughter.

"Is too."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

Cathe came in between them giggling, "All in favor of Jin being 'it' say _I_ and run!"

"I!!" all three of the girls voted simultaniously as they ran from Shion's older brother. Giggling hysterically as he caught them one by one, sweeping Cathe and Cecily up and over his shoulder. Shion ran, her long legs carrying her across the space of grass and hid behind the bench where her mother and her realian nanny Febronia sat.

"You two need to go on a diet." Jin grunted as the grown ups laughed. Eventually his strength gave in and he toppled over, taking his captives with him.

"Dog pile!" Shion ran and leaped right onto the pile of realian and human.

Shion's mother laughed again, "They having a good time." she lazily pushed a lock of brown hair out of her face, same colored eyes as her daughter's twinkling.

"Yes they are. You should have seen Jin the other day, if Cathe hadn't caught him by the stream the church would've been invaded by amphibians. Heather, so you're taking them home today correct?" Febronia replied.

She nodded, "We'll stay over night for a few days with you and then we'll be going back home." Heather looked over at the children, love so strong that it could almost be touched rising in her chest, "I hate leaving them, but my work takes me to places and has me doing things I'd rather not have them see." her eyes suddenly darkened to a sort of, sweat and sad expression.

The elder realian smiled ever so gently, "I'm sure that everything will work out."

"I hope."

chaos' sight suddenly centered on Cecily and Cathe. They emminated a special energy that vibrated similar to that of his own. _Oh no_...chaos scrunched his eyes closed and opened them again. No, Cherankov hadn't done what he'd just suspected.

Heather was now ushering the children with her, "Come on kids," she picked up Shion, "Your Nanny said she's going to fix you something special when we get back to the church." Febronia's little sisters yelled in excitement and ran to join their older sister. Heather smiled at them and started to follow.

Suddenly she stopped.

Shion watched as her mother twitched her head as if she were listening, "Mommy? What's wrong?"

Heather turned to look over her shoulder at the tree line, she set Shion next to Jin, "Go with Feb and tell her to hurry."

"What's wrong Mom? Come with us!" Jin tugged at her hand.

She touched his cheek, "Don't worry about me, you two just stay with your nanny and do what she says." Heather stood up and called to the realian, "Feb! Take them to some where safe just in case!" a cold wind has started churning.

Febronia noted the urgency in the woman's voice and took the young ones by the hands and started running, "Sisters, run ahead and get the place ready."

chaos waited till the others left before leaping out of the limbs and landing about twenty feet from where Shion's mother stood. Heather turned slowly around, no fear reflecting in her eyes.

The Serenity Triplet crossed his arms and leaned to one side, tilting his head as he did so, "I don't prefer that look."

"It was needed."

"I still don't like it." chaos leered.

Heather took a step forward, "What have you become chaos?" she asked, tears threatning to fall.

He shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know. A monster, neither phoenix or gnosis. Something in between."

"And prone to serve Yavyn just like all gnosis are." Heather alleged, "Even if you aren't a full gnosis, you're still under her influence. Break it chaos! This isn't the real you!"

chaos snickered, "It is now Watcher." with a sickening sucking sound his tentacles slid out of his body, "Deal with it. I see you were a lucky one of our generation to bear children. And half breeds no less, I can smell the human blood coursing through their veins. This is most unusual."

Heather glared, "They are none of your concern chaos!"

The sick youth gave a horrible grinning gesture, "Of course they are! Let's see how well you can handle me....Nyima!" he beckoned a challenge with his two fingers.

Her slender pale fingers curled into fists as ribbons of light curled around her body. When they passed over she had changed back to her original form. Only this time it was different, long black leather gloves extended from the fingerless hands to half way up her shoulder. Gripped in her fingers tightly were weapons known as angel wings. The blades were curved up with a hole fitting its shape in the center, barbs jutted out on one full side of the blades. Everywhere was sharp except for the wraps where someone would hold them.

chaos grinned and summoned forth his spear, "Prepare to die Nyima!" the other phoenix barely managed to react fast enough to block chaos' charge. Moving so fast their bodies became a blur and the earth around them was torn by their footwork.

Nyima went flying against a tree, she ducked in time to avoid getting stabbed. In that split second instance of her escape, she manage to shred chaos' front leg muscles. chaos let out an inhuman screech of anger. The tree shriveled and died as he drained the life from it to free his weapon. He whipped around and threw the now glowing spear and missed. Nyima felt a small trickle of blood run down her cheek as the flesh wound opened.

"chaos stop!" she pleaded just as she blocked, "Fight it!"

chaos flew forward and pinned his old friend to the ground, "Let's see...when's the last time a phoenix could counter poison on his or her own eh?"

"But you made it over the pass few years--!"

"Now my resistence is gone!"

Nyima shimmered out from under him just as his tentacles dug deep into the dirt. chaos hissed in annoyance. He whipped around and lunged at her, knocking her angel wings out of her hands in the process. Nyima thrust a green glowing fist into his chest, "Heart Murmer!"

There was shockwave of energy that sent chaos flying. At first he was stunned, not knowing which way was up or down but then he suddenly was pulled back to reality and landed gracefully on the balls of his feet. chaos pressed the palm of his hand against his heart as it regained it's right tempo. By that time Nyima was on him again. Slamming her fists into his body in a relentless barrage. Now it was chaos' turn to go on the defense. But suddenly he leaped backwards into the air. Nyima summoned back her weapons and brought out her wings in pursuit.

Flashes of energy flared out into sky as the two blurs of green and dark green collided. The fight went on for what seemed an eternity, but both great creatures were too stuborn to give in.

Nyima was suddenly shoved back as chaos sent an enhanced version of the Lunar Seal. She snarled horribly, "Get a grip chaos!"

chaos lifted his Divine Spear and didn't answer. Instead she saw the head crystillize into a sickly green poison.

"Fine then..."

She gathered in waves of light and sent a concentrated beem of energy at him. chaos deflected the beam away before lashing out with his tentacles. Nyima flew just out of reach, becomming very agitated when she couldn't get a strike in. His extra sets of limbs gave him an unfair advantage. The seemingly ethreal tentacles writhing around his body like an aura of whips.

"Devil Gene!" she screamed as she threw her head back and screamed. Her body emminated a flare of black light.

Once again the two forces clashed in hand to hand combat, Nyima's strength and speed enhanced by her spell. The two huminoids rapidly gained height farther and farther up into the sky. If they didn't stop soon then their fancy light show would attract military attention. At the moment, the now rivals could care less.

Nyima let out a blood chilling scream and smashed her palm against the center of his chest, "SOUL THRUST!!"

An ethreal copy of chaos was knocked partly out of his body, being pushed by the ethreal hand of Nyima. Their bodies remained suspended in the air. Souls did not have any definate shape, only representations. And at the moment chaos' was a writhing monster struggling with itself. Nyima tried to completely push his life force completely out of his body. But her Devil Gene upgrade was running out, and if she didn't replace her own soul back inside her with the rest then she would be incomplete. Possibly without memories of most of her life and probably effected in the mind.

The two forces suddenly snapped back into their containers and was sent flying to the ground. Both hit with such force that two small craters appeared, dirt and rocks billowing out in dangarous clouds.

After a few minutes passed, the dust settled. Nyima twitched. Trying to get her barings as fast as she could. A fine layer of grit and stones, plus dirt clods had covered her body. She moaned, stirring her stiff body. chaos held his arms, mouthing a string of oaths in their native tounge.

Nyima gripped the edge of the hole and pulled herself to her feet, dust and sandy grit falling from her clothes. Upon pulling herself out, Nyima was met by chaos' cold blooded hand. Before she could recover, she was lifted from the ground by by her wrists and ankles. Her eyes opened wide as his tentacles started slowly pulling her limbs out of their sockets.

"chaos...."

"Four millinia of torture. Do you know what it was like? No good memories to try and remember, just an empty hallow feeling that you couldn't feel. Even with all that's being done!"

"N-no! chaos please stop!" Nyima screamed.

chaos slowed but didn't stop, "What are your children for?" he asked, leaning all his weight on one foot.

Nyima tried to take in a breath, "What do you want them for? They didn't do aanyything to you!!!" she twitched as droplets of red started dripping from the seams of her skin.

"Each of us was given a vision that fateful day the thing in the Temple activated. They are most likely apart of what you saw. Now what is it?" chaos waited patiently.

Nyima felt hot tears spill down her face, "Please stop chaos! Please!!"

chaos suddenly blinked as something flashed across his mind's eye. The sickness' hold wavered as Nephilim allowed bits and pieces of memory slip back into his mind. chaos held his head as he fell to one knee. The tentacles slackened enough so that, after a few pain throbbing moments Nyima snapped her joints back in place with a sickening pop. chaos still had his hold on her however.

"chaos remember who you are! You're not some assasin bent to Yavyn's will! You're one of the Serenity Triplets! Silk Wing! We're trying to get home!" Nyima was getting frantic for everything. chaos, her friends, her children, the entire quest.

"Stop it! Shut up! I don't give a dying star what you phoenix's care about!"

Nyima held his face with the gentleness of a mother, "You are one of us." chaos blinked, his eyes dialated back to normal, the veins resceding. She smiled as he slowly returned to normal, "You geek. Where's your sisters?"

chaos closed his eyes, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips, "Havn't changed all that much." a single tear ran down his face. He felt the shame of doing this cruelty to one of his best friends. The other phoenix gave him a sweet yet sad smile and whiped a lock of dirty silver hair from chaos' sweaty cheek.

_Yavyn blinked._

chaos suddenly gagged as the veins creeped back into his systems so abruptly it was like being back inside the coffin. He was instantly on his feet, the tentacles then feathers whirling about him, "Run Nyima!!" too late. chaos summoned his spear back to his hand and stabbed Nyima through before she could even react. He shook his head and gasped. chaos quickly pulled his weapon out of her and realized it didn't matter. The tip was still a crystal poison.

"NNOOO!!! Nyima!" chaos knelt beside the Watcher and held her tightly in his arms, "Nyima!"

She coughed black liquid, "c-chaos."

"Don't leave Nyima I just found you again! Please! I don't want to loose anyone else! I lost my sisters already! I've even lost myself!" chaos begged.

Nyima lifted her gloved hand weakly to carress his cheek, "It's too late S-Silk Wing." her body was already shutting down as the poison swiftly flowed through her every blood vessal. chaos looked away from the grotesque wound in her gut. His tears fell onto her face as he hugged her close.

"chaos? P-promise m-me something."

"What is it?"

She coughed horribly for a few moments, "That y-you'll not kill Sh-Shion and Jin. H-help them through all that's g-going to happennnnaaargh!!" Nyima leaned away and coughed more black liquid and infected blood, beginning to shudder violently. chaos couldn't take seeing her suffer like this. She'd been through enough just by his hand! Why did she have to go like this?

"A-and..." Nyima struggled to speak. The poison had already reached her heart and was now entering her brain, "t-take care of them. Don't let your poison over take you. If you kill them, th-then it will destroy our whole future."

"I promise." chaos hardly could force the words out. His throat was tightening so painfully that he thought he'd choke himself. Nyima jerked as she felt a painful contraction in her lungs.

"It's over." she said suddenly, "You're going to leave soon. All we did would be for nothing."

"Nyima don't think that! I'm not going to let you go with you thinking everything's a failure! I'm _not_ going to let that happen! You hear me? NEVER!" chaos screamed, letting the tears flow completely.

She coughed, smiling, "I s-sense you'll be t-tested again soon. Then will our fate be determined if you lose this next battle against yourself. I can't see f-farther than when this happens." the dying phoenix leaned into chaos' embrace, moaning in both physical and emotional agony, "Please chaos! Don't let us go beyond the unknown border."

"I won't Nyima! You can trust me!" chaos told her with force in his painful airway.

Nyima released the air from her lungs in a deep outward sigh, "One betrayel leads to another, chaos. Don't let it be that way...." chaos felt, rather than heard silence for a long time after that. When he loosened his hold to look at his friend, all he saw was her pale face. Eye's half closed, as dull as a if the light had been removed from the jewel.

chaos sat on his heels for a long time next to the body. His blood soaked hands shaking uncontrolably; breathing labored and deep. The tears kept comming and going, as if hesitating to let out all of the pain held in the dam of his heart. The air had grown cold. A wind bringing trails of mist washed over the battle field. chaos didn't know how long he sat there. And at the moment he didn't care. All he knew was that Nyima was truly dead. Gone for good. Never to see the light of day again, to smile or laugh. Touch someone carringly, be with him and his sisters. Dance under the starlight, or ever taste the air of their real home again. chaos wanted to yelled out, scream like a banshee and call her back in vain. Knowing it wouldn't do him any good.

Someone called. It was a man's voice. Another was with him, it felt like the being realian Febronia. They couldn't find Nyima like this. Nyima was not the person her husband had married. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, chaos reached out and pressed his fingers against Nyima's forehead.

Smoothly and with only the sound of a whisper, the Watcher Nyima, changed back to Heather Uzuki. The infected blood dried up in the speed not natural and vanished, the wound closed and the sickening veins faded. chaos heard one, two, three beats of the heart begin. All but one of the body functions began once again, her mind did not awaken. It was quiet, as if sleeping beyond that of death. The doctors would identify it as one of their untreatable diseases of the humans.

chaos watched as Nyima's human husband knelt over her, tried to wake her, then picked her up and carried her back the way they'd come at a dead run. She'd be burried under a name not her own, an image that didn't reflect who she was. An identiy lost to his race forever. Heavy in heart, chaos turned and vanished deeper beyond the tree line.

Present Shion held her hands to her face and felt the pain of chaos' doing burn into her soul.

**GAH!! I'm off to the next one! (marches off)**


	35. Part 11: Facing Your Friend

**TSAdmiral: I think i've got it down, although i'm still working on some kinks**

**FFfangirlH: thanks, yes i do a lot of speculation (wipes brow) it's giving me a headache**

**Nikki: spoilers have been happening for awhile actually, i just never mentioned them, but they're not deep spoilers, just some stuff i pick up from the japanese trailers**

**Senpai-san: yes there's six. there was gonna be eight but the creaters ran out of ideas**

**Piasora: yes it is**

**T-T curse school and the feeling of noninspiration to write. hmm.....should i make this fic R for the violence i have in it? i've been wondering that for a long time.**

Chapter 35:

Little Shion paced outside the door. Her eyes watched the floor as she carefully stepped in each of the tiles. It had been a few days since her mom was hospitalized for the strange nueral case the doctors had said had consumed her, but to Shion it was all wrong. The setting around her mother had the look of a battle field. She knew this because Cathe had downloaded an image for her since their dad wouldn't allow them near the place where Heather had fallen.

Jin finally blinked, "Shion stop pacing, you're making me dizzy!"

"I can't. I need to move or else I'll go crazy. What are they doing in there?" she asked no one in particular as she approached the door and pressed her ear against the crack. Again she heard nothing.

"They're experimenting or something like that. Seeing if one of their new treatments will work." Jin answered to ease his own impatience.

Shion turned around and joined her brother on the seats, "Do you have the same feeling I have?"

"Like what?"

"That it'll all fail? That Mommy is gone already?" tears burned into her eyes even as she spoke the words. Jin placed his arm around her shoulders and sighed heavily, "Unfourtunately yes little sister. It's kinda a cold feeling in your chest right?"

Shion nodded.

"I wish we didn't."

Shion layed her head onto his lap, snuggling into his warmth, "Me too." the two siblings sat their in silence for a long time. Shion began to doze off, the smell of even a place like this always made her drowzy. It also had the feeling of entrapment, loss, and death. No life was renewed here. Never.

"Shion?"

The young brunette snapped her eyes open and looked up to see Cathe, "Feb told us to come and get you. Your daddy called her, says that it's going to be awhile before the doctors are done." Shion stood up along with her brother, "How long?" she asked.

The realian shrugged, "He didn't specify an actual time. But wouldn't it be a lot easier on you and your brother's minds to not sit here waiting?"

Jin took his sister's hand in his, "Let's go Shion. We need to get something to eat anyway. I'm sure Mom'll be fine." he assured. The four friends walked silently out of the special hospital into the parking lot where Febronia waited. She smiled gently and gestured to the public transport vehicle they'd be taking. Shion sat in the back next to the window, staring blankly. No one spoke on their way back to the church. Feeling that the silence was too fragile to break at this time.

_This just doesn't feel right..._Shion thought to herself almost reluctantly. _How come it feels like Mommy's not here even when I'm beside her at the hospital? Why won't she wake up?_ Her eyes burned in threat of tears. The little girl leaned her elbow against the door so that she could bring up her arm to stop the flow. After thirty minutes or so, the traffic began thinning as they went farther and farther into rural area. Concrete gave way to lush grass and wild trees, order of nature ruled here instead of order of man. Both Shion and her brother found that they were more at peace in the natural worl than in the city, hence one of the major reasons they always wanted to come to Febronia's church. But now it was to escape the bowels of Heather's treatments.

"Shion? Shion we've arrived." Cathe shook her friend's shoulders gently, "Do you wish to come inside and eat cookies our big sister made?"

The brunette shrugged uncaringly, "I don't mind." she jumped out of the vehicle which had been waiting for all of its passengers to disembark before automatically leaving. Shion followed the other four with air in her head. Her trance like state continued until the sweet sugary smell of white chocolate chip cookies tickled her nose hairs. She glanced up to see that they were in the kitchen of the church.

Febronia gestured to the table, "Sit down children, I'll go get some milk." as she headed to the large grey fridge in the corner of the kitchen she added, "Jin! Ladies first."

"Ow!" Jin jerked his hand away when Cecily slapped it. Shion felt her heart lighten a little when this happened. Febronia returned shortly with a trey of cups and set one in front of each of the children. Shion was the first to recieve two, then Cecily and Cathe, then Jin who perked up imediately. When Shion bit down into the soft brown cookie dough, the sweet taste that practically melted in her mouth brought her further from the depths of despair. She washed down the first two with a swig of milk before reaching to the center of the small table and grabbing a third.

"Is the curran condition of your mother still the same, Jin?" Cecily asked.

Jin paused before taking another bite, "Same old same old. She just won't wake up. Any new realians come here lately?" he quickly changed the subject so as not to bring his sister's pain about again.

Febronia answered this, "Two. But I am patient, and they say that they will spread the word of this place when they leave."

Jin nodded, "That's good. Right Shion?"

Shion wiped a few crumbs from her face, "Uh huh." she nodded. The two unknowingly half humans and two realians left the kitchen when they were done eating and went to Cecily's and Cathe's room located behind the main structure of the church. chaos sat on the high branch of a tree watching the church with an emotionless gaze.

A few days later, Shion sat alone in the park nearby the hospital. She swung gently back and forth humming Greensleeves. The sky was slowly merging into yellow, pink and orange as the sun set. Jin was with her father at the hospital, she'd slept in so they'd let her have her moments of complete peace. Febronia had called her father and he said that he'd pick her up here to see her mother when the doctors were finished.

A cold breeze washed over the brown haired child, she wasn't even phased by its sharpness. Shion looked up at the fading sky and sighed heavily. All of this was really starting to hurt her badly. She felt like she was the only one feeling the emptiness and distance of her mother.

"Daddy!" Shion called excitedly and jumped off of the swing towards her father.

He took her hand, "Hi Shion, let's go home."

"We're not going to see Mommy?"

Pain and wearisome etched the lines of Jerol's face, "No, not today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Ok Daddy." Shion walked hand in hand with him away from the park.

chaos leaped down from a wall and stood next to the swing set the little girl had sat at. Then ran with blinding speed over obsticals like they were nothing straight to the hospital where the body of Nyima was being kept. He approached the forever sleeping figure and looked at the face that was Heather's. chaos hated seeing this even if Nyima wasn't alive anymore. The hate boiled in his veins, increasing his heart rate and helping his sickness spread. He just wanted to end it all right here and now!

The very next evening Shion arrived at the hospital to see her mother. It was raining outside, in the distance thunder rumbled. Jerol told Shion to wait outside until he made sure there was no note inside saying that Heather was to be left alone.

Shion settled herself as best she could while her father went inside. She wasn't sure where Jin was, probably getting something to eat maybe. In any case, the flourescent eyed girl swung her feet back and forth. These trips were tiresome and sometimes very disapointing. Now not even the visits of her nanny and her sisters would cheer her up. Suddenly the little girl glanced up. Was someone playing music?

Without warning the entire hospital went up in alarm. Shion jumped out of her seat in fright. She was running for the door where her parents were when the complex's power suddenly went out. There was a moment of pitch blackness before the emergency lights kicked in. Breathing hard Shion tried to open the door, but since it was supposed to open automatically, her little arms weren't strong enough to open it manualy. Jerol yelled when the window shattered. Shion used all of her strength but it was useless, she was about to panic but strong hands joined hers as Jin helped her pull the door open.

Standing in a ring of huminoid gnosis that slouched over and had blades along their arms, was a silver haired adoleescent holding their father up with one hand by the neck. His back was turned to them, but his head twitched when they entered. The gnosis turned as well, but didn't move from where they already stood.

chaos pointed to the window and all seven of them leaped out of the twenty story building. His fingers tightened around Jerol's neck until he felt the snap of neck bones. The turned phoenix threw the human against the far wall where he slumped to the ground, blood trailing in his wake. Shion couldn't move, she was frozen in fear; anguish, agony, all of them screamed in her racing heart. She managed to glance away from her father to where the shell of Nyima lay, all of the health moniters read a flat line. Jin snapped out of his fear long enough to grab his sister's arm and run out of the room into the hallway. chaos turned, calmly walking after them. Anything that his tentacles grazed was left acidic burning marks. They were the reason all of this was happening. And now they needed to be dealt with.

_The Zohars are weak..._

chaos picked up his pace, eventually starting to run after the two children. A security guard rounded the corner yelling "Freeze!" and when chaos didn't heed, the guard fired several shots. The sickened phoenix simply turned a shoulder or ducked his head as if he predicted the shots, while at the same time walking forward. The guard spoke into his radio and backed away.

"This is taking too long." chaos said to no one. His contracted pupils made it seem as if he, himself was a walking dead. The slim boy turned and smashed through a door and leaped through the window of the patient's room. Outside he did a stiff pencil dive all thirty stories down before flipping and landing with a slight thud on the balls of his feet. He turned around to see the front door where he'd landed. Waiting, patiently for his quarry. It took the children longer than 30 minutes to run down the stairs of the hospital complex, also trying to get passed the hustling nurses and doctors and security guards.

"Come on Shion!" Jin yelled as he helped his sister to her feet.

"Jin stop!"

"No! We have to get to Febronia's!" Jin exclaimed worriedly. His heart was racing, threatning to pound out of his ribcage. The black haired male kept a firm grip around his sister's wrist, keeping running despite the stumbles he felt almost every step of the way.

They were about to round the corner when something snapped in Jin's mind. He slammed on the breaks so quickly that Shion ran into him then collapsed breathing hard. After a minute Jin released her hand. He quietly skirted along the wall, not sure of what this feeling was trying to tell him.

The second Jin started to glance around to the main entrance he barely managed to jerk his head back in time to avoid an acidic tentacle, "Come on Shion!" Jin screamed, grabbing her by her wrist again and running back the way they'd come. Both of them felt the hairs on the back of their neck stick on end as chaos paced them easily, almost lazily.

Jin paused to shove open an old heavy metal emergency doorway and ran outside with Shion close on his heels. They climbed over the busy highway wall, Jin knowing they had to take a chance since that freak was after them. He waved his hand frantically until a vehicle stopped. The lady rolled down her tinted window, "Are you ok kids?"

"W-we need a ride to-to the Realian Peace Center." Jin managed to say between breathes, "And we need to get there as fast as possible. Can you please take us there ma'am? Someone's after us!" he felt his eyes burn with tears.

The lady glanced passed them, "Hurry in kids."

Automatically the side back door opened and the two jumped in and the hovercraft sped away. Jin sideglanced his sister to see how she was. Her face was turned to the window, but he could see in her reflection that she was shedding a few tears. Who wouldn't? After seeing what that guy had did to their Dad..... Jin looked the oposite way, feeling his own anguish come to surface. When the city began changing smoothly to the country, the car suddenly lost all power when something landed with a hard _THUD!!_ on the roof.

Piercing the metal easily came all seven tentacles, the lady was instantly killed when one went straight through the top of her head and through her body. Shion cried out when one grazed her. Jin grabbed her and slammed open his door and both of them fell out. chaos turned on them instantly baring fangs that hadn't been there before. The Uzuki's screamed, Jin jumpedin front of his sister.

A flash of light flared from his body in response to the gnosis type creature and sent chaos spinning rapidly away. When he smacked the ground he didn't get up. Jin stared wide eyed for the longest time. Then he snapped out of his trance and grabbed Shion by the arm and ran for dear life to Febronia's church. hey ran and ran until Shion couldn't take it anymore.

"Jin stop! I can't run anyore!" she collapsed on the mossy soil and cried. Her lungs burned as they tried to gather the oxygen restricted to them in the little girl's frightened state. She pounded her fists into the ground, angry at the man, angry at the hospital, at the gnosis, herself and Jin even!

Jin knelt beside her, pulling her into his tired yet firm embrace, "Shion. We have to get to Feb's."

"I don't care anymore! Mommy and Daddy are dead! Mom probably already dead! I don't get it! Why is that man after us?! What did we ever do to him!" she wailed, tears streaming down her smeared face.

Jin cried silently, "I-Idon't know sister! But we have to keep going. F-Feb will know what to do." this time he had to forcefully make his sister get up and onto her feet. They ran through silent woods just behind the treeline to the road. Shion followed almost blindly, barely allowing her brother to pull her along. Suddenly they saw the reassuring backside of the church. This heightened Jin's spirit just the slightest bit and his pace quickened.

Both burst through the back wooden doorway and ran through the empty hallways calling for their nanny. Shion suddenly pushed passed Jin when the door to the main section of the building came into sight.

"FEB!!" she screamed in desperation of a comforting arm....what she saw was not comforting.

Disgusting sucking and bone crunching sounds filled the room as the slightly huminoid gnosis chaos had sent away circled hungrily around a helpless Febronia. The only thing visible amidst the chewing heads was Febronia's face. Her bright eyes were wide with pain and absolute pain and fear. Yet when she saw Shion, they bore even deeper pain as she realized that she couldn't do a thing to help the little girl and her brother. Shion couldn't move, the same with Jin when he stopped slightly behind her. She was stiff, as if her body had been turned to ice.

"Such a waste of blood." a voice said from across the room. They saw it was the murderer.

chaos held up Cecily and Cathe by their heads, when the silvery glow vanished from their limp bodies chaos tossed them aside like rag dolls, "Why Nyima would choose insolent little halflings like you two. The rules by which our races are governed are just too different. I'm surprised the phoenix gene accepted that of a pathetic human." he watched them with steady nonempathetic eyes, completely ignoring the feeding gnosis.

"What's it to you to hold the power she passed on?" he suddenly asked. He didn't recieve an answer, and didn't expect one, "She gave you two herself. She didn't think any of me, or my sisters." he stepped forward one step then another, "Nyima hid. And then she tries to make me promise to keep you alive. When _you_ are what helped me kill her?!" chaos screeched in emotional agony as a green light burst from his body, two images of Cecily and Cathe appeared suspended in the air above him then disipated into grains of sand. Shion and Jin finaly decided it was time to unglue their feet from the ground.

Shion kept staring at Febronia as the realian was eaten alive. She saw her tounge flick, then with one last effort she gathered in a breath of air, "R-run." time seemed to slow down as Shion was jerked back through the door. chaos lounged, smashing through the door like it was soft butter.

Outside Jin was suddenly knocked away, slamming against the wall and slumping to the ground stunned. chaos snatched Shion up by the throat and glared deep into her eyes. He lifted a hand to pierce her chest.

Shion sobbed heavily, "Why?" she suddenly whispered, her voice a mere thread. chaos suddenly hesitated, why vent his anger on these little children? For a split moment he thought he saw Nyima in those familiar flourescent green eyes. These were her gift to them in return of her passing. In a strange way, she was still with the phoenix's despite the fact that they didn't really know or believe in spirits.

"Get away from my sister!" Jin screamed as he swiped a small katana at chaos who let Shion drop as he side stepped away. Jin advanced on him, swinging the small blade in vain attempt to slice the other's flesh. Finaly annoyed, chaos avoided then smacked the black haired boy away again. His translucent eyes strayed back to Shion. His emotions were chaotic, unsure. Nyima had seen something for her offspring that she hadn't been allowed to tell him. But that bit of future had been a small wave, he was the deciding factor of whether or not that wave would be created or not. Now he realised what Nyima had meant by--.

chaos keeled over suddenly as pain coursed through his veins in icy jabs. He screamed in agony as his gnosis and phoenix side faught for dominance. Jin backed away in fright at this new turn of events. Bright glowing feathers flew in all directions along with shreds of his tentacles that were trying to reform. chaos feel to his knees, then threw back his head and screamed again. The very air around them snapped with cold, and the plants shivered at the inhuman call of anguish, confusion.

"Get away from me!" he suddenly glared up at them, "GET--AWAY!!"

Jin didn't hesitate twice to turn and run. Little Shion glanced back only once at the struggling figure.

Shion covered her face and turned away, "No stop it stop it! I can't take it anymore!" Allen gently held her shoulders trying to comfort her.

"You wanted to forget so badly Shion, the pain of those days." Nephilim said in her usual quiet and airy tone, "That you trained yourself to make it easy to forget, block the painful memories that will complete you if you accept them."

Febronia stepped forward, "Yes chaos was the one who killed your parents. But really it was his anger, hatred and self guilt that helped blind him enough to accept the will of the gnosis. Shion," the consiousness of Feb knelt to eye level of the engineer, "You are apart of the Phoenix race, your parents were killed by a hurt and anger driven friend, but that didn't mean that it was all of his doing."

Shion looked up, her eyes red from crying, "H-he killed them. Our closest and most trusted--. I just--I refuse to accept that! No! I won't!"

Febronia frowned sadly, "Please Shion, the wave that you and your brother will create is still yet to come. If you do not accept the entirety of your memories, then all what your mother wanted, all the phoenix's worked so hard for will be lost. But if you do, then you will learn of what you are, and much more." there was a hint of begging in the realian's voice.

Suddenly, everyone around Shion faded into the distance, "Wait! Come back!" she could guess what was going to happen now. She had to face the aparation of chaos. Proof that she wanted to face her past to help that of the future. But at the same time, the part of you that everyone and everything has, rebelled this. The part that didn't want to bare the load of pain. Suddenly a loud thud made her whip around to see the aparation of chaos' past self land on his feet.

As he straightened up the tributes of his gnosis self smoothly changed his image. chaos crouched slightly baring sharp teeth in a hiss. Shion didn't move, like she had as a little girl, the sight of her parent's killer too much for her to bare. Yet, if she didn't deal with it right here and now she might never get another chance.

At last, Shion's expression changed abruptl to determination. She extended her arm and her MWS appeared an she took aim and fired. The huge bullet was ricochated off of the creature's tentacles as he blocked it. Shion panicked at the last second as chaos rushed up to her and jabbed her weapon out in sheer dumb luck jamming it into his gut where it went off. chaos went flying but spun and landed on the balls of his feet. The wound closed over faster than nano bots could start to repair.

"Lunar Seal!" he sent a blast inferno of silver flames. Shion smelt burning hair when she jumped away from the blast. Being a little clumsier than usual, Shion was barely managing to block or avoid the aparation's attacks. Let alone get off an attack of her own. She spun around and smacked his face with the back of her hand then followed up with a jump crescent kick then spun again and thrust her foot sideways into his gut. She had to fight the _chaos_ so to speak of her want to live, yet longing to die.

"Shock Blade!!" Shion screamed as a blade of lightning extended from the tip of the MWS. She took one diagonal swipe at chaos and sliced his chest. Knowing his regeneration would kick in, Shion took the second of shock to attack again and again. Blood spurted everywhere, flecks spreying into Shion's eyes causing her to blink.

In that second of vulnerability chaos took his swing at her. Sending her flying with a blast of green energy. Shion lay there with her back to him stunned. She had to get up now! But the fear of the pain returning kept her from moving, all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and block this whole ordeal away.

_Shion, sitting there crying won't get anything done...you know that...._

The engineer opened her eyes. That was true, at one point in creating Kos-mos she'd sat in her room crying because Kevin had died. But he would've wanted to finish the one that had killed him. She hadn't gotten anything done on the Kos-mos now because she'd been moping about in her room where no one could see. This situation was no different. Shion felt the presence of chaos behind her but still she didn't move. chaos raised a glowing fist, the light stretching so that his Divine Spear solidified in his fingers. He raised to kill Shion.

Shion flipped up to face him and stabbed him through with her Lightning Blade. chaos gagged in surprise, blood pouring down his chin in heavier bursts. His arms dropped to his sides, the spear clattered to the earth. Very subtly, the attributes vanished along with the blood. Shion found herself holding her hand up to him, her MWS had vanished, so had his wounds and hers. The foggy scene around them had changed from a hard white floor to the graves of her parents.

"You've excepted those memories as apart of you now." chaos said in his familiar gentle tone, "Of course you will always feel the agony that comes from looking back to that time. But now you will be able to face them, you are complete Shion."

Shion looked at the two gravestones forlornly, "What do you know of what chaos had done? You're just his past, not him now."

"Who says I'm not chaos?" the aparation explained, "I _am_ chaos. The true chaos. The one you know now is the one created from this Aeon Universe surroundings, I am that of the Phoenix's Universe. When put together, both of us will merge as one to complete his true self." chaos looked past her into the rolling fog. A firm breeze toying with his silver hair, he too seemed forlorned.

"So, in a way, like what just happened is my pain and entirety of memories, you are chaos'?" Shion asked.

"It's both ways actually, but enough about me--and him. Shion, you have just begun to create that small wave that will depict the fate of the human's universe. You must keep that wave from disipating in clashing with other deciding factors. You--and Jin must stay strong. Kos-mos must survive when you all wake up from these dreams of memories. Otherwise....all will not be right."

"I dn't want her to die either. But why is keeping Kos-mos functioning so important to the phoenix's?" Shion prodded.

chaos began to fade away into the wind, his voice barely a whisper, "It's what Kevin wanted...and still wants...if we do not fulfill what he asked then nothing will prevail just as the chain links connect."

"Wait!" Shion reached out but the past chaos was gone. It still didn't make sense. In fact, the questions that were answered just left her with more questions.

**Not exactly what i wanted but in the revised version it will be better. Hallelujah!! On to the good parts with Rubedo and MOMO!!! (marches off) review please!!**


	36. Chapter 36: Part 12: UDO Retro Virus

**Cela Andromeda: i was already planning that, but it'll be more of a half a chapter because i couldn't figure out a very good past theory for him (cries)**

**Sailorjj07: yesh, i shall update. **

**TSAdmiral: (cries) don't worry, i'm trying to get back to the present as soon as possible**

**Ally: Soon, soon**

**?????: I know, my Microsoft Word program was wiped from my programs, so i'm not doing as good as i should be(cries)**

**Dark Hawk Wings: welcome back **

**Hey folks the fic is rounding down to the final chapters, first i'm going to try and make Rubedo's and MOMO's part fit into the next two (of course long) chapters. It might be three though, i'm not sure. I'm trying to hurry this up for ya'll. Then it'll be back to the present with the Serenity Triplets.**

_**Chapter 36: Part 12: U-DO Retro Virus**_

_"What are you thinking?" the young mand asked allowed to the sleeping figure. The terminal in front of him blinked in and out as something disturbed the flow of power. He guessed it was from their patient sending nonconsiouse waves of excess energy through the cords connected to his body that monitered his current condition. The screen blinked in and out, sometimes images trailing across in a statiky haze._

_A small alarm raised as the figure in the tank started up another nightmare. The assitant cried out in alarm as the terminal sparked heavily, the entire medical facility went ablaze as uncontroled energy raised through the electric lines._

_"Shut down power, cut off all lines to the outside labs!" he yelled just before the computers went completely haywire. Instantly the lab was plunged into complete darkness. The emergency power lit up the blue lights lining the walls enough for you too see. The assistant coutiously approached the panel, almost jumping out of his shoes when it sparked, but that was only for an instant. This had been happening all through out the time his patient had been there. He just wouldn't settle down, and the sedation drugs he'd given up on using just wouldn't work. When he'd been found, he'd been suffering greatly from an unknown poison or perhaps sickness. They didn't know what to qualify it as. But the boy had been in great agony, almost on the verge of--something. _

_Even though the adolescent was human in appearance, recent study of the blood samples they'd extracted of him showed otherwise, and it had taken a lot of risk involved since they didn't know how to treat this amazing being. Kevin Winnicot watched as the images of the wild energy sharpened enough to be distinct._

chaos jerked awake, feeling like he was floating in air. When he glanced around but his vision was blurred by the water like substance that held him. Cords and tubes had been taped to his skin, and plunged deep into the center, just beside the bone was the never healed wound where Keteya had stabbed him. This time however, it felt different. For the past years it had always been throbbing, turning his body cold and mind distoriented. Now however, he felt as if the poison was not there at all, like it was nonexistent.

The phoenix blinked, using his more natural abilities to sharpen his vision to that of under water. He was in a cylinder of thick glass in the far left corner of what appeared to be a private medical facility. The only other living being was that of a maintanence realian repairing the wires under a terminal not far away. chaos didn't know what to do, there were a lot of double agents out there, and Fallen. Whath ad happened to him? The last he remembered was yelling at Nyima's children to get away from him and then--nothing. His mind was a total blank.

The realian stood up and stretched, in doing so saw that chaos was awake. He reached out and pressed a button on the terminal and spoke words that were mute to chaos. Then the realian left, the door hissing shut behind him. That left chaos alone, feeling vulnerable in his weak state. chaos felt hallow down to the bone as if his life energy had been zapped.

_No,_ chaos shook his head, _it wasn't that._ He felt drained because he no longer had the poison running through his system, and for the past many years it had been like a steroid. An constant adrenaline rush you might say. This was going to get used to. Had these humans actually found a cure for this sickness?

Suddenly the door hissed open and a tall young man with short but stylishly messy blue black hair. His eyes were bright blue, and his face was gentle. Kevin walked up to the terminal and pressed a few buttons and status screens popped into view. He activated something, "Good afternoon, I'm Kevin. You are in the manufacturing facility of Joachim Mizrahi, the Proto Murkabah. We found you before the authorities did, the gnosis found in the area were taken care of. How do you feel?"

chaos coughed, the small microphone hooked to his air mask taking in his voice, "Tired." and that was the flat out truth. From bone to heart to mind, he was exhausted. He wasn't sure if he could take it anymore.

Kevin's eyes narrowed a little, "I'd imagine. How long have you been fighting that--substance in your body?"

chaos opened his eyes again, "Do you really want to know?"

"Do I want to know?" Kevin answered in a different tone.

The silver haired youth shrugged, "Over twenty years."

This was not the answer Kevin was expecting, "W-what? You can't be serious! You don't look a day over seventeen."

choas wasn't surprised at his reaction, "Must be good living." lame lie, but that was all he could think of at the moment. He suddenly felt crowded in the glass cylinder. Being a--well a kind of bird on the inside he didn't like being held inside small spaces when he was depressed. Kevin arched a thin brow before glancing back at the screen.

"Your vitals are calmed down a lot from a few days ago. But I still think you should rest...what's your name?"

The silver haired male looked directly at him, "Is a name really that important?"

"If you don't want me naming you like a little homeless puppy off the street yes."

He chuckled stiffly, "True, they call me chaos."

"chaos, eh? That's an interesting name." Kevin said, "You're fidgeting. Do you find the cylinder uncomfortable? Understandable." the empathetic man pressed a few buttons. A depressurizing sound reached chaos' ears, then panels under his feet opened and the liquad began to drain. As soon as his bare toes touched the hard metal bottom, chaos tilted his head back so it would be completely exposed to air and removed the bothersome mask. The liquid ran in rivers down his creamy brown skin and dripped from his shorts. His hair became matted against his scalp and cheeks. When it was completely drained, there was another burst of depressurization and the glass slid out of its locks and started going up.

Kevin rounded the terminal and stepped next to the cylinder as it lowered itself to floor level. He told chaos to wait until he removed all of the cords connected to the others body, "Honestly, I don't know why I put these on you. You heal extraordinarily fast, the only problem you seem to have is that posion. I'm sorry but we were only able to find a way to nullify it. But we're currently working on a permanent cure--if there is one."

_'Nullify it...'_ that wasn't too happy a thought. But right now he was greatful for once to have a clear head and contained body. He felt like the leach had been burned from his skin, or atleast ripped off before it could completely feed. Kevin pulled the long needle from chaos' shoulder and set it down. He then handed him a thick, white towel to dry himself.

chaos was led to a small but cozy room with a cot like bed, a desk, and a small seperate bathroom. Kevin set a small case on the desk while his new friend slipped into a white patience's uniform. It might've reminded you of male's uniform in Japan during school.

"You'll need to take a shot of this concoction we call Telaho every 24 hours. Inject it right where your scar opens. There you'll get the best results." he explained.

"Are there any side effects?"

"You'll want to sleep."

"That's it?"

Kevin shrugged and laughed nervously, "This is a new drug we've just created. You're our first patient dealing with this sort of phenomenah. The rest you'll just have to experience I'm afraid."

"How comforting." chaos sat with a tired thud onto the mattress, he sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

The other man turned to face the exhausted being, "If you don't mind my asking, just what _are_ you? I know I sound rude but--I'm just curious." he leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms. chaos opened his eyes and stared out the single window. Endless stars twinkled back at him, seeming so innocent, yet so dangoures in reality.

"I-don't think I'm allowed to tell you that." came his slow answer after a minute or so.

Kevin cocked a brow, "Alright, I'll respect that. But what about that sickness or yours? Did something stab you with a poisonous claw or something? A gnosis maybe?" chaos twitched his head as memories came flooding back from four thousand years ago. Painful memories, of when Keteya had betrayed them--betrayed _him!_ Kevin watched as chaos pressed his face with one hand. He wondered what had happened to this young man, must've been a lot.

chaos sat up straight taking in a breath to steady himself, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"That's ok, I understand." Kevin shrugged and pointed at something on the table, "You can reach me with this. I'll leave you to yourself. Later tonight I'll stop by to check on you if you havn't already called me." he started for the door.

"Where are you going?" chaos tried to hide the anxiousness in his voice. Really he didn't want to be alone, he'd been working alone for so long it was becoming painful. Just the presence of someone else helped calm him.

"To the engineering deck. I've got a project I've been developing." he turned, "Why?"

chaos shook his head, "That's fine. I'll try to get some sleep then."

It wasn't as easy as it sounded to get some sleep. Each time chaos closed his eyes painful memories of the first battle he'd faught in this universe kept replaying in his mind. The...nightmares woke him constantly if he even managed to doze off. For what seemed to be the thousandth time, the humindoid glanced at the small digital clock against the far wall. Time seemed to move slower than he payed heed to. Time was a matter that the Phoenix race did not watch or care unless need be. But now...

chaos wondered how the human's and aeons always thought time mattered so much. Other than the fact that they weren't immortal, they were always in a hurry to get to this place or to do that thing. No wonder they didn't live so long even with their technology, it was all the stress among other things.

He must've finaly fell asleep, cause the next thing he new, the door was ringing. Signaling a person wanting to enter. Sitting up, chaos rubbed the sleep from his eyes before mumbling "Come in."

It was Kevin, "You're still trying to rest eh?"

"Oh," he glanced at the rumpled covers he hadn't bothered to get under, "I guess rest is not something I require at the moment." chaos' eyes strayed to the box containing the Teelaho, "Is it time for that nullifier?"

"No, not until tomorrow morning. Come on, I'm sure you're tired of staying in one spot all the time. I know I would be." Kevin gestured and chaos followed.

The mess halls of Proto Merkabah were good sized compared to others, but due to the size of the still incomplete manufacturing facility there had to be more than one. chaos glanced at his empty plate, he'd been famished. Having been force fed in the rejuvinating cylinder only liquid foods, who wouldn't be?

"So, chaos. If I might ask, how did you aquire the energy build up your body contains?"

"Hm?" chaos snapped his gaze from the window, "Oh, that's--the energy build up? That's just apart of what I am." was his simple answer.

Kevin took a sip from his cup, "How did you transfer images in your sleep then? There's no Ether setting in your blood stream, or any nano bots."chaos tried to hide his puzzlement. He'd done that? Just how uncontrol had he'd become? Perhaps it was time to start setting up wards on himself to keep him from going haywire in his sleep, this Telaho would help.

"What images did I conjure up if I might ask? Like, describe what I released."

Kevin dug into his bag next to him and slid a datapad across the table. chaos opened the file the other pointed to. A loading bar popped up and grew steadily longer until reaching 100. Then the file opened then pulled up another box near the bottom of the screen reading: Play? Click.

A very staticy image of a hord of giant birds flashed across the screen. Next came the image of Nephilim, Wilhelm, Nyima, Crescent, the images began to run faster as the friends battled the Fallen to the death. Without warning the person he'd hoped to never see again faded closer as if the static was fog. She landed gracefully on the Original, as glorious and as beautiful as she was before--chaos quickly flipped the pad over and slammed it against the table causing Kevin to jump.

"You know her well?" the engineer probed gently.

"All of them. But her--I just want her back...and yet I don't want her back. But doesn't everyone experience that when one doesn't know if they've been betrayed by free will or not." chaos looked out back into the window at the glittering stars.

"Want her back yet don't want her back..." Kevin repeated, "If you had a second chance, would you accept that?"

"Maybe, it doesn't matter now. She's gone. The dead cannot come back to give their loved ones a second chance to know."

"To know what?"

"What would you like to know if a close one passed away?" chaos tried to dodge the question.

Kevin thought a moment, "If there really is an afterlife. But this is what makes me not afraid of death: Why be alive when there's nothing after? There would be no point in living at all. I always ask myself that when I'm contemplating death." Kevin smiled and pulled the pad out from under chaos' fingers, taking a moment to look once more at Keteya before closing the window. chaos half smiled, but even with those words of wisdom death still frightened him.

"So what exactly is Proto Merkabah for?"

"This facility? I can't tell you what it's _exactly_ for but it's meant for research. Massive amounts of data is collected and brought here for analysis." Kevin explained. chaos narrowed his eyes the slightest bit, sensing there was more than _just_ that going on.

"Please enter lock down code." a robotic female voice stated. Dr. Yuriev punched the numbers on his keyboard.

9-74-026-827-06

Password:

Yuriev pushed his glasses back up his nose ridge as the lights began to dim. The many containers in the next room began sliding closed, then locked into place.

"Clone Lock Down complete. Beginning count: 556...present. 557...present..." the computer continued to check all of the sleeping compartments for the URTV's. This group would rest until the other batch would return from patrol.

"Goodnight, I expect you all not to try and escape." Yuriev said into the microphone. He said that for more a specific group of clones than the entire group. There was a sound of depresurization as a small puff of sleeping gas was released in the leaning boxes. The computer continued its dialysis of each of the URTV's physical and mental health. Even though they were all clones of himself, Yuriev found that that particular group had more of a mind of their own than the other URTV's did despite the mental link. The computer showed all of the clone's status to the doctor who inspected them closely. Nothing seemed to be wrong. He'd been hired to eradicating U-DO for quite some time on Miltia. Most of the civilians that had been passed off as not infected had been sent offworld until the situation was resolved.

The next day the cases opened automatically three hours early as an alarm alerted the computer of an emergency.

"U-DO contamination detected, reinforcements are required to assist the current patrol members." a robotic female voice sounded. Alarms howled, red lights flashed annoyingly. A small electric shock was sent through each URTV to wake them up.

The URTV residing in the center circle opened his bright blue eyes; perception blurred for a few seconds before he clawed hurriedly to the surface of conciousness. Instantly the URTV known only as 666 leapt out of his bed chamber and ran for the door which opened automatically. Following closely was the other two that were different just like him. They, unlike the URTV that took after Yuriev's blonde hair and deep blue eyes had somehow changed in their cloning. Yuriev was unsure how because his inspection showed no defaults in the exact genes he'd given.

666 had ruby red hair cut close to his neck, and eyes that matched the sky. His attitude was that of a leader, but was at the same time ill tempered at times.

669 was a bluish black haired clone with similar eyes to the red head's, he was a more calm and collective type.

And then there was 667, he had strange amythest purple eyes and marble white hair. He acted kind of crazy at times but he was nice, almost funny.

Each of the URTV's sprinted down the hall, snatching up a machine gun from the rack on the wall. Once they'd all assembled in the next room, they began cocking and loading their ammo. 666 cocked and checked the scope. There was a sudden sound of depresurrization as the door slid open. There a hovercraft was waiting. 666 ushered everyone of the clones inside first before jumping in himself. The hovercraft was designed so that they could jump in and out easy, so therefore it had no doors. The wind snapped 666's short strands of hair back in constant violent waves. He watched the ground carefully as they passed over the ruins of the Miltian city. Civilians ran in panic, wanting to leave but unable to for U-DO was now coursing through their minds. The craft began to lower its altitude as it reached their destination.

"Go! Go! Go!" 666 shouted, leaping out of the hovercraft before it'd touched down. The Other URTV's bodies began to glow as their life energy began to react to the strong mark of U-DO began to stir. The ground rippled with dark purple energy and streaks of stretched faces flared up to meet the URTV's. A civilian was suddenly struck with one of the streaks. Instantly the human was hit by a barrage of bullets; the corpse fell to the ground steaming with bullet holes. The glow from the clones spread as they fanned out, U-DO retreating as they advanced.

The ground vibrated through the soles of their steel toed boots as the strange consciousness retaleated against the seemingly little boys. 666 lowered his gun, lifting his hand in a graceful gesture as red energies gathered around him. He thrust his arm forword and the energy spiraled around the designater and smashed into the essence. In almost perfect syncronization the other URTV gathered their phsycic energy sent it at U-DO. The two counters smashed into eachother and swirled around eachother into a deadly vortext.

667 dove and rolled to his feet to avoid the shockwave and turned to his partner, "568, U-TIC soldiers are comming around the corner!" the two lifted their guns and began unloading shell after shell of bullets as the soldiers rounded the corner to try and stop the little clones. Instantly the first wave was wasted by the white and blonde haired URTV.

669 came up beside their leader, "The U-TIC are trying to resist. I can sense they are calling in more numbers to overwhelm us."

"They can try all they want. Come on, gather everyone up again so we can continue this job and find the other of us." 666 replied. The URTV's continued to hunt down the infected civilians until the could sense them no more. At the moment they would remain until the area was cleared of U-DO and U-TIC soldiers. 666 sighed heavily and leaned against a giant slab of cement unearthed by the crashing of a ship. He examined his machine gun to make sure it wasn't glitching in anyway.

"I just recieved a message from Yuriev. He says that we will remain until." the red head said without looking at 667 and 669.

"This'll be fun. It beats remaining in those sleeping compartments any day." 667 grinned.

"Yes but that also means we have to kill people that don't even know what is happening. Don't you find that kind of wrong?" 669 stepped forword.

667 shrugged, "What does it matter?"

"It matters because they're suddenly taken away without knowing why."

"Doesn't that always happen even without the help of U-?" the last of his sentance was drowned out when 666 fired his machine gun at a stray U-TIC soldier. The red head turned to them, "Come on." he walked away from the slab of cement out into the street. Smoke rose like the earth was puffing a ciggerette in some places, everything was a mess. In the distance they could hear the other URTV's rid the land of U-TIC. A flash of light now and then signified the demolition of the conciousness invading Miltia. The trio continued shooting down soldiers as they went, not really caring where exactly they were going. Every few minutes 666 would recieve telepathic messages from the others stating their findings and situations. A few of the clones had been injured, but it was nothing more than a flesh wound.

"Let's see if we can find what's beyond the outer edge of the city." 667 suggested with a tone of excitement.

"Not until most of U-DO is gone from this area and the other URTV don't need us." 666 replied, although inside he was just as excited to explore the world he only knew as a battle field. Surely it had been more than that, perhaps even beautiful at once. Perhaps it still was in some places. A half a day passed before the URTV confirmed the area mostly clear of U-DO. Yuriev told them to remain until they could find the source of where the evil essence was coming from. What more perfect condition than that?

The three unique clones went covert and snuck down one alley way, 669 covering the other two's backs. 666 saw where the buildings parted ahead to reveal the green landscape he'd seen before. That's what he'd wanted to see for so long. The city parks just weren't quit there. He suddenly watched as the glowing ember of a ship approached the wooded hills then vanish beyond the rise. Well, that could be an excuse just in case Yuriev called them.

Eventually their scenery turned from ruined city to rural living quarters. Or, atleast as rural as you could get in this day in age. Which was pretty down there. Small creatures scampered away at the presence of the strange invaders. The trio sprinted through the slums until the city abruptly ended and they entered a beautiful forest. Appalled, the URTV's stopped in their tracks, almost knocking eachother over at the same time. They stood there admiring the wonder Militia had to offer them.

667 was the first to walk forward, "Wow...this is amazing! Come on you guys!"

"Wait!" 666 nabbed the back of the white haired boy's shirt collar, "I saw a ship fly up there. We're going to have to search for that so we have an excuse. Otherwise Yuriev might go over the line a little more than last time."

"That's true. Alright then, lead the way." 669 gestured with his machine gun. The red head walked ahead. He wished he had ten more pairs of eyes, there was just so much to see with so little time. They began running, their grace making them seem like they were gliding over the loamy ground. Even the smells were different here, it was more fresh and crisp, cleaner. They ran unfalteringly for what seemed like an hour, stopping a few times to examin something more interesting than the rest. The slope began to grow less steep, signaling that the hill's cres was near. Suddenly 667 dragged the other two down flat when they were about to enter a clearing. A few seconds later the ship 666 had seen earlier flew overhead, causing the trees to sway from its breeze.

"Doesn't have any signature on it. Could it be a civilian ship?"

669 watched it pass, "No it did have a signiture on it: The Mizrahi Labs."

"It's that giant ship Proto Merkabah that's under contruction out there. It's going to be moved as soon as the propulsion systems are online." 666 replied, "But what would it be doing down here? U-DO will spread if it infects them."

667 shrugged, "How should I know? Come on we're not going to find out just by sitting here."

"667! Wait! Hey!" the red and black head bounded after the other URTV trying to catch up. Cause once he set his mind on something, then it was very hard to stop him. The trio of youngsters sprinted across the clearing, eager to see what lay hidden behind the treeline. The leaves and branches parted to reveal a voctorian house that had been commonly used on earth before the great run for survival. This was an amazing find for the URTV's, it was _extremly_ rare for a house of this sorts to be found anymore.

"This is amazing." 666 exclaimed as he took a step ahead of the others.

"You think this is where that Mizrahi ship landed?" 669 asked aloud.

667 smirked, "Who cares? Let's go see what's inside!"

"Wha-? Hey wait we can't just go in there! That's somebodies house 667!" the red head dashed after his friend. 667 leaped lightly onto the genuine wooden patio and approached the door, of course the knob wasn't only locked it had a security pad. So the house wasn't entirely not up to date. 669 shoved him aside and pulled out a device. He began pressing several buttons at once, the signal of the device reading the lock and probing for the correct combination.

After a few minutes of constant failure there was a click, beep and release of air pressure, "Got it." the black haired boy confirmed.

"I'll go first." 666 said.

667 pouted, "But _I_ wanted to go in first!" he complained.

"Be quiet or you don't go in at all." 666 turned the knob carefully, pushing the door open coutiasly. Inside was like walking into a museum or something. The rooms were neatly made, the hardwood floors spotless and shinning. Imediately to their right was a giant polished grand piano which at first sight they didn't recognize, having only heard of them once. 667 stepped beside it and curiously pushed one of the keys. 666 had to put his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing when the albino haired kid jumped at the high note.

"It is pretty." 669 commented.

"Yes it is." 666 replied.

"Why are there so many buttons though?" 667 reached to push more but stopped at their leader's look.

"Most likely they are of other pitches to create the music it is capable of." 666 turned to explore more of the house. He noticed carpeted stairs, half way up them was a discarded doll. He blinked; 666 climbed the stairs until he could reach and pick up the (to him) strange object.

_"We will be back my dear, you just go and take a refreshing nap." the young women told her daughter._

_"Yes mother, it sounds like a wonderful idea." she tried to smile but the emotion just wouldn't come. Her mother saw her struggling and bent to kiss her forhead. It was hard to watch her daughter struggle so hard to please them._

_The little brunette watched through the window until the ship was out of sight before turning to go upstairs. How silent the house always was to her. The lack of laughter, the lack of joy. Only a sweet sadness that lingered in each room. No one knew how she'd became this way. She just....._was_ this way from the moment of birth. The girl opened the door to her room; it was nicely decorated, a simple bed against the wall near the door. Across was her dresser, in between was a toy box and a giant white bunny. It just wasn't fair that it happened to her._

_Her father had said she would recieve something special soon. A sister of sorts, one who could show her the ways. She sat down fingering the lace of her white dress. The idea had seemed good at first, now she wasn't so sure._

_"Do not dwell on such petty things. It is not your business until it is here." she scolded herself. Forcing herself to yawn, the pale skinned girl bent and laid her head against the down feathered pillow. Sleep taunted her. Licking the edges of her mind but not engulfing it. _

_Was her parents home? She could have sworn she heard the lock...._

_Well, she'd keep trying to sleep._

_.....footsteps...._

_They seemed too light to be her parents. Plus after another few seconds she heard a third set. She was drowzy, perhaps it was just one of her father's assistants with him. Once in awhile he'd bring them here._

_Creak....._

_Something inside her chest jumped, giving her a strange feeling that startled her into sitting bolt up right. This feeling of fear showed her three twelve year olds, complete strangers standing in her room. She stared at them wide eyed while they stared back. The adrenaline pumped through her veins till she couldn't bare it anymore and screamed a very high pitch._

_Chain reaction happened then._

_First 666 screamed in surprised then 669 then 667. It was just a screaming fest._

The girl fell off of her bed, frantically scrambling into the corner trying to hide. 666 gained his composure back breathing deeply.

"It's ok! We won't hurt you! Hey! It's ok!" the red headed URTV approached the girl, suddenly he heard a few sniffles, she was crying, "Hey, uuuhhh we didn't mean to barge in on you. We thought the house was empty."

She looked up at him, eyeing his automatic held loosely in his right hand. 666 looked down, "Oh," he tossed it away, his comrades doing the same, "Is that better?" still she didn't respond.

667 stepped up behind him, "You have a way with the girls 666."

"Be quiet."

"It's not that...."

The trio looked as she spoke for the first time, "My name is Sakura Mizrahi. What are your names?" Sakura still remained curled, clutching her chest as her heart began to slow. It felt so strange. Why was she _feeling_ now of all times?

The red head rubbed the back of his neck in slight shame, "Uh, we are U-DO Retro Virus, abbreviated name URTV. I am 666, this is 667 and 669." he gestured. 669 nodding while the other waved vigorusly with a huge grin on his lips.

**Maieve: Ok maybe it'll be three chapters. I am absolutely clueless on what else to put on the rest of this chapter. (cries) it's getting dificult! my brain is running out of idears near the end of my fic!!!!! (goes into a corner and cries some more)**

**Araneda: (whacks Maieve) Get a grip on yourself! So what if you can't find enough ideas to excecute this thing**

**Maieve: (tackles Aran) SHUT UP!! YOU'RE NOT HELPING!!!!**

**Nylil: --' ah running out of idea's ness, it hurts (flinches when an explosion happens in the backround) o.o brb leaves**

**CRASH!!!!! BANG!!!**

**Maieve: owie comes back rubbing her head Nylil that hurt!**

**Araneda: ;;**

**Nylil: blows dust off her knumchucks now are you two willing to calm down?**

**Maieve: --' yes _mother_**

**Tala1: oO**

**Araneda: Tala what are you doing in this fic?**

**Tala1: shrugs i was reading it, why else?**

**Maieve: (shoves him off the stage) go back to your own fic!**

**Tala1: (clings to her) awww but i wanna stay!!**

**Maieve: (peels him off) out!**

**Tala1: ;; so mean! leaves**

**Nylil: (sighs) we got so off topic in this conversation --'**

**Albedo: (hugs her from behind) yes you did my lovely flower**

**Nylil: OOleaps straight up into the air in surprise lands off to the side) STOP DOING THAT!!!**

**Maieve: ok this is getting out of hand i shall end it here**

**R&R please!!!**


	37. Chapter 37 Part 13

**Cela Andromeda: ya it's going to be painful**

**Piasora: that's cool, well you're gonna love what i do with them soon**

**FFfangirlH: i never quit, i was just having trouble getting the insiration to write, ee almost done, one more chappie.......-falls over-**

**TrickyFrog: I would do a spell check if my microsoft word program was still one my comp, till then i'm just trying to keep an eye on my spelling.**

**I'm currently working on a group picture of Nyima, Crescent, inochi, shi, and Keteya. If you want give me an alternate e-mail address and once I'm done i'll send it to ya.**

**Ok, near the end of the chapter there's gonna be some time flux's, so some of it may not make sense since they happen at different times. I know it's a little long, but i want to get this finished.....sry! -cries-**

**Chapter 37: Part: 13**

"Why are you URTV called by numbers? Don't you have a real name?" Sakura asked as she sat at the far end of the table. The party had moved down to the kitchen where 667 was only paying half attention as his interest was in the house and not the girl.

666 fumbled with the sleeve of his uniform, "Because we do not require personal names. We are only meant to battle U-DO which has come to infect Miltia. How come your father hasn't taken you and your mother away from this planet while you're still unaffected?"

The brunette thought a moment before shrugging, "I think it has something to do with his research he's conducting up on his ship orbiting the planet."

669 almost burst out, "That's no excuse! You could be up in space with him! Atleast there you have almost nill chance of U-DO taking you." again Sakura didn't have an answer. But her curiousity of the boys pushed her to further questions.

"What would happen - if it were possible - if U-DO managed to take one of your kind?"

For once the three were stumped. They doubted even Dr. Yuriev would know the answer to that. Something dangerous that was for sure. The thought sent shivers up and down 666's spine. 669 glanced out the window above the sink to spy a somewhat 'modernized' garden. Did something just move out there? The black haired boy reached out with his senses but didn't get anything, so he shrugged it off before turning back to the conversation.

"Miss Sakura? May you give us a tour of your garden outside while we talk?"

She looked up, not seeing why they were so interested in what she'd lived around all her life, "Yes. I think that would be fine." Sakura couldn't believe how trustful she was being to almost complete strangers.

Outside the gardens consisted of stone walls and smooth cobble stone walkways. The flowers bloomed richly in their homes, well cared for and weed free. The automated water sprays had just finished lightly padding dew on them, the drops slid down their stems straight into the soil. Glistening on their colorful pedals. Sakura stopped to pick a wilting flower; for once she was able to actually enjoy its fragrance.

667 suddenly snatched it out of her fingers, "How come this one isn't as nice as the others?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. Perhaps a flower disease caught it. I'll have to let our probes know." she glanced back at the three, "It's a bit odd calling you guys by numbers. Do you mind if I name you something else? It can be our little secret from your master."

_Master isn't too far from the truth._ 666 thought with distaste. He looked back at 669, then at 667. Both shrugged and nodded. 667 a little more enthusiastic as usual.

Sakura fiddled with the lacing of her dress a moment thinking. Then she pointed at 669, "You can be Nigredo, because of your black hair." she turned to 667, "Albedo, for albino or whitening. And 666, you are Rubedo, ruby or reddening. Are these names alright?"

"I like them. It suits us." the black haired URTV said with a smile.

"Albedo Albedo Albedo!" 667 clapped his hands together once and jumped up and down, "I love it!"

Sakura looked over at their red headed leader, "Rubedo?" He nodded, giving her a smile that was somewhat rare.

The brunette clapped her hands together, "Alright! Nigredo, Albedo, and Rubedo it is!" her smile felt odd since she'd never actually....truly smiled before.

Nigredo grinned, "Now we actually sound like people. Not machines. I never thought of that before."

"Yes, we were more wrapped up in seeing things that are forbidden to us rather than actually taking time for _us_." Rubedo mused.

"Doesn't your....master ever let you have freetime?" Sakura asked.

Albedo almost choked with laughter, " _'Freetime'_ ? If you call meal times free times that's about it. Other than our training sessions to keep us in shape. Nope, we are just tools of warfare."

"By those automatics you were carrying in my room I thought as much. But you three must be barely older than me. Why would this man send you into battle so soon?"

Rubedo raised a hand, "Oldest here by about ten minutes, Albedo youngest by three. It's just what we were made to do. Nothing more, nothing less. And we hate it. At first it was all we knew, then we began to be curious."

Sakura raised one thin brow, "What do you mean by minutes? Are you triplets?"

Albedo cackled, "Hardly and not even that! But - ." his sentence was interrupted by the high whine of an incoming ship. Sakura ran to the corner of the house to see who was coming. She turned her head back to them, "You have to hide! My parents are back!" Nigredo took off with the other two close on his heels.

"Rubedo! Wait! Please promise you guys will come back, ok?"

"Yes Sakura, we promise!" Rubedo called over his shoulder as the URTV's vanished into the trees.

"Dr. Mizrahi has been working on a special project lately upon his main project which I can't tell you about. One thing I know though, it requires a lot of data." Kevin explained to chaos as they made their way to the lower chambers of the ship.

"Oh by the way, chaos. When I reported your appearance, it seems that Helmer wants you back. You work for him don't you?"

"Well, everyone works for someone don't they?" was the silver haired male's reply. Working for several people at once didn't help his schedule though. Never did. They entered a room filled with special type lights, panels, and a single cylinder tube much like the one he'd been inside. The figure suspended in the very center was pale skinned, its developing blue veins potruding up from the rest of its slender body. Nano bots were continually being dispersed into the thick oil like subastance keeping the new realian safe from germs. The nano bots continued tirelessly on building the - girl, he decided - in tip top shape.

"Why is this realian seperated from the rest?" chaos asked. There was one other girl at the panel ahead of them, she had creamy brown skin, light grey, black and blue realian uniform. Her hair was down just past her hips, and she wore a strange white 'nurses' hat. She turned around after finishing her work, collecting her datapads and leaving with hardly a glance at the two that entered.

Kevin watched her a little sadly, "That one is #0027. A Kirshwasser, as Dr. Mizrahi calls them. They're the 98-Series Realian." chaos watched as the little Kirshwasser took her silver nailed fingers and punched in a code to the door before leaving, "He doesn't give them a real name?"

"Unfourtunately, no. The one you see developing here, as far as I know, is called Multiple Observative Mimetic Organicus, or MOMO." Kevin's lips twitched into a slight grin.

chaos smiled gently while looking up at the fragile being, "That's a sweet name. But it's kind of cruel if you ask me. The Kirshwassers will feel like they mean nothing to Dr. Mizrahi."

"I know, but it's not my choice. It's his." the engineer glanced down at the life moniters. Everything was steady and strong, yet fragile at the same time, "Mizrahi seems to be loosing his sense of reality in a way by immersing himself in his research."

"Well, to do research you need reality. Especially in his field from what I gather." chaos said.

Kevin nodded, "Makes sense. If you don't mind, I need to insert a special security system inside MOMO's nueral net." the engineer opened a small case containing several injection needles. Inside the glass tubes the silvery subsbstance constantly swirled, indicating the nano bots inside. Kevin inserted each of the three needles into hoses which began taking the contents. There were about three tubes implanted into the developing realians body, one was to allow easier passage for the interior nano bots.

"What's the system called?" chaos asked out of curiousity.

"K-PX, of course that's obviously just the abbreviated name." Kevin answered.

The silver haired adolescent looked over the realian again, this time taking in each and every detail, "Are you sure this is right?"

"What?"

"Why put such a heavy burden on a such a little being? As you most likely know, even realians have feelings of how they're treated."

Kevin sighed heavily before replying, "I'll admit you've got me there. Dr. Mizrahi said that we'd keep the information he's going to store inside seperate from her main memory banks. Hence this is one of the security systems to keep it closed. But, whether with the knowledge that it even exists inside herself, or without, it will eventually come knocking with some force." suddenly there was a beeping sound and the engineer pulled out a small communicater from his pocket.

"Hmm,"

"What is it?" chaos asked.

"It seems that your ride is here already. They're going to take you to a different station positioned on the far side of Miltia's orbit, the minor planet Atalya. Aparently that's where Helmer has been watching this planet deteriorate."

"Got it, I thank you for all the help you've given me." chaos gave a slight bow.

"Speaking of help, before you leave I'm going to have to teach you how to make that concoction. And give you the main ingrediant." Kevin said.

"That would definately help."

Brilliant light and quick pricks of music sounded through the open window of the Mizrahi household. Inside the living room, Juli sat next to her daughter at the grand piano coaching her in the piece she was playing. Sakura sighed before correcting the little mistake she'd just made.

"It's alright, no one can be perfect. Only really good." Juli encouraged. She seemed younger, more happy even than when Zigurat 8 had first seen her.

Sakura nodded, "Yes Mother, I just want to be the best, for you and Father." she felt so....frustrated. Why was it that when the URTV's were around she was able to feel the emotions she so longed to feel? Why not with her own parents?

Juli smiled and placed her fingers on the keys and played a short bar of the music, "But you don't have to, if there is one perfect little girl out there I think the parents have problems. Mistakes are apart of being human, whether good or bad." Juli consoled. Sakura nodded her head to the beat before placing her fingers down as well and joining the tune in perfect harmony.

Stealthily, Rubedo stalked up to the front porch of the house. Carefully he glanced up past the window sill to watch Sakura and Juli play the duel part. The music was so new to him, yet so beautiful. He wondered why anyone wouldn't like to play this instrament anymore. The red haired URTV sat there with his back against the wall, almost slipping into a hypnotic daze from the music.

Sakura felt a slip of emotion - joyfulness in the arts - slip into her. From this she knew that one of the URTV's were close by. This thought almost made her skip a beat when she realized that for the past few days their weapons were still stashed hastily in her closet. How idiotic of her not to return those things to them.

Rubedo opened his eyes when the music came to a silent halt. There was another exchange of conversation and the shuffle of feet. The URTV sighed heavily and stood up, making his way to the bench swing and sitting down as if he had back pains. His thoughts strayed to Juli, wondering what it would've been like if....

"Rubedo? Where are Nigredo and Albedo?" Sakura asked as she sat down next to him.

"Nigredo went to go look for Albedo. He told me to come back so as not to keep you waiting." he replied simply, his blue eyes averted from her.

"What's wrong?"

"What's it like?"

"Like what?"

"Having a mother, parents that are caring...that don't send their children to fight an evil being..." Rubedo asked slowly.

The fair skinned girl blinked, "It's wonderful, you almost always have someone to hug you when you're hurt. Someone to play a game with you....doesn't Rubedo have a mother? Your father is supposed to be Professor Yuriev, right?"

Rubedo scrunched his face up, "A very healthy egg without any defects - that's all we know...." he pulled one knee up to set his elbow on, "That damned Yuriev damned us all when he created us. You might call us his hell spawns."

"Don't say things like that!" Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder, "Rubedo is a very great guy."

"A great guy that kills those infected with U-DO and unable to do anything BUT do that. You hardly know me, how can you judge me as a 'great guy'?"

This took a moment for the girl to respond to, "Because, I can see the good heart in you." Rubedo started to laugh but instead stifled it so that her mother wouldn't hear. His gaze traveled up the hills to the orange sky where the sun was setting quietly as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. A gentle breeze carressed the two in their silence, as if trying to ease both of their pains.

"Good heart eh? Not likely," he sat up straight, "A killer like me? Ya right."

"Oh Rubedo shouldn't say things like that about himself! You only kill because you _have_ to! Not because you _want_ to!"

"Sakura? Who are you talking to?" Juli asked as she stepped outside. Sakura stuttered and turned to look at Rubedo - only to find him gone, "N-no one Mother. You must be hearing things." Juli arched one slim eyebrow in puzzlement before returning inside. Rubedo dropped from where he'd been clinging to the porch overhang roof, "I think I should go."

Sakura made a grab for his arm as he turned away, "No wait! You still havn't taken those automatics of yours!"

Rubedo swore under his breath, "I just _knew_ we were forgetting something! Ok, can you throw them out your window and I'll catch them?" Sakura nodded and disapeared inside. Truly she'd wanted the URTV to stay longer, looks like that wasn't to be this day. The guns felt heavy and cold under her fragile fingers, she wondered how they could carry these destructive tools all day. Sakura opened up her window to see Rubedo standing close to the wall right under her. The Mizrahi took the first gun and dropped it, the URTV caught each of them easily. He waved a farewell to her before dashing off into the distance. Sakura watched him with a forlorned expression that quickly vanished with his presence.

Rubedo ran lightly across the neatly trimmed grass, practically gliding across the earth as he made his way to where Nigredo stated he was. Albedo had vanished so suddenly it wasn't funny, one minute he'd been acting sick, and the next gone. _What was with that white haired lunatic? Well, ok lunatic was going a little too far. More like, overly hyper and intellagent being._ Rubedo corrected himself.

"Come on Albedo! Get up!" Nigredo's highly annoyed tone told the red head where hidden among the trees they were.

"What's going on?" he asked in a firm tone as he shoved aside the brush.

"Nigredo let go!" Albedo whined in a high pitched voice, "I'm tired!"

"We have to get moving! I already feel them coming, and Yuriev isn't too happy with us!" Again the URTV pulled/dragged his friend up to his feet.

Albedo glanced over at the red head and gave him a freaky grin, "Hey Rubedo, guess what Sakura told me a few days ago?"

"What?"

The URTV grabbed Rubedo's wrist and pulled his fingers straight to reveal his number, "The number 666, is the devil's number."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"It's the unlucky number that brings the devil about you. So in a sense, you are cursed and are a devil." Albedo's mad grin sent shivers up and down Rubedo's spine. Was he cursed?

"Th-that's just an old wive's tale. People back then believed in bad and good karma. But that doesn't exist!"Rubedo objected with a little more force than he'd intended.

Albedo continued to grin, "I think a devil suits you. You're tempramental, red is your color - which tends to serve as an evil color - and you are made to be one!"

Rubedo glared, "Stop that! There is no such thing!"

Suddenly all three crouched down as the whine of a ship passed overhead dangerously close. Rubedo pressed his temples on either side of his head, feeling Yuriev's anger bearing down on them. A reluctant scream escaped his lips as blackness overtook his senses.

Pain.

His head was pounding. The nueral nerves inside his brain pulsed with painful throbs. No thought could enter his mind, all he knew was the pain. Yuriev obviously wasn't happy with them. And this time they'd paid for it dearly. Rubedo didn't even remember what Yuriev's punishment had been. All he knew was that he'd been hurt.

Upon opening his eyes Rubedo found himself inside his casket like holder. Glancing to the left through the square window he saw Nigredo one casing down, Albedo was right next to him on the right. The 'normal' looking URTV seperating Nigredo from them had a familiar presence more so than the others to Rubedo. This was 668, a _slightly_ rebellious URTV, but the thought of Yuriev's punushments held him back on most of the adventures the trio of trouble took.

_You will not do that again._ Yuriev's voice cut through Rubedo's brain like a hot blade. _You do realize what a panic you caused the other URTV 666?! All of the other clones nearly went berserk when you and 669, and 667 vanished. Do you realize the importance of your being united with them!!_

The entire batallion panicked? Then how come we didn't sense anything?

_Ignorant idiot!_ The professor had sensed his thought. _You closed yourself off to hide, they didn't feel you so they thought the main link was broken. Should you do that again it will most likely destroy them in fear and I will not have that happen!_ Rubedo jerked violently and screamed as a bolt of telepathic energy smashed against his mentality one more time. Exhausted, the red head slumped down to the cramped lower part of the enclosed cubical.

_Rubedo, get up!_ It was Nigredo.

The URTV remained where he was a few minutes longer before mustering up the strength to drag himself up. He took in a deep breath to clear his thoughts. Albedo, Nigredo and 668 watched him.

"So much pain. Is it worth the adventures of freedom you steal?" 668 asked in a mild curiousity tone.

"Yes they are!" Rubedo snarled before he could think about what he was saying, "Yuriev will most likely just dispose of us when U-DO is destroyed. We are just soldiers to him! Mere objects of warfare...." the leader choked on his own words as thoughts of Sakura filled his mind. Why at this particular moment he would be thinking of her was beyond him.

"It might be for the best though 666...." this caught all attention, "What would the universe want with us? We malformed humans, they wouldn't know what to do with us. Eventually it would lead to violence. It's just like asking why one such as you, is our leader anyhow."

"Huh?"

" Why....are you our leader....666.....you are nothing but a mutant...a monster.... different than even us all." 668's tone was calm, placid, the usual emotionless voice, yet....

Rubedo looked down at the three red printed numbers on the palm of his hand. What Albedo had said - perhaps more than a day before - some ho made sense. It was like _he_ was the leader, the devil prince of this band of demons. How else would the people look at them? No...he wanted to be free of this chain of slavery that Yuriev had clamped him to. Was breaking the link the only way....?

Alarm systems howled as the computer detected another burst of U-DO trying to break the surface of sleep a little more than a week later. Rubedo jumped a little disoriented out of his small cubical. The hiss of pressure release sounded in the Units room as the full betallion was awoken. Rubedo turned and ran right into Professor Yuriev. Startled, Rubedo kept his mind completely blank to keep the desicions battling within himself from being revealed.

"Number 666, this mission isn't just to drive U-DO back. You must form a Solid Telepathic Entity Circle to contain this part of U-DO."

Rubedo arched a brow, "An STEC? But why?!"

Yuriev pressed his glasses farther up his nose, "When you reach your destination you will see." and with that he turned away without so much as a probe in thought. The aircrafts carried the URTV's over a war torn Miltian city. Smoke curled up like dieing black ghosts, flames licked up to the sky in a vain attempt to reach it. The streets were oddly deserted, normally there would be atleast a wandering civilian or the U-TIC soldiers.

Rubedo watched the scene pass by in a blur, the automatic machine gun in his hand suddenly feeling heavier than usual. _Did_ normal humans see him as a monster? A demon meant to be banished? He'd never taken into consideration those innocent people that had unknowingly been infected were thinking while he shot them down. Heck even U-TIC soldiers were merely following orders.....or atleast most of them anyway.

The hovercrafts lowered down into a particularly damaged part of the city he recognized from before. They were always coming here sending U-DO back. It was no wonder this was the point of most danger. Rubedo leaped out even before the craft set down and pointed the barrel of his rifle in the direction they were supposed to go. It was a little odd to see a mass of grim faced "kids" with automatics rushing down the street, swarming into the alley ways to the facility where the disturbance was being created.

Rubedo yelled out orders with his mind as the URTV's gathered around a giant man made pit. Down down below in its depths was a churning violet seeming to teem with evil energy. Twisted faces whipped gracefully out of the pit at their presence. The Units banished with with blasts of telekenetic energy. In perfect syncronization the Units spaced themselves out and held out their right hand. Each began to glow brightly, the light spread in a flawless circular line. The dimented "fingers" of U-DO arised only to instantly be drawn into the life force that was ment to destroy it.

_What then?_ Rubedo thought silently so as not to distract the others.

What_ will happen to us....monsters when we are no longer? Would they just release them into the worl, tip their hat and say "Cheerio chaps good luck."? What were they going to do when that dreadful moment of departure? The worlds of humans would most likely stereotype them and meet them with violence._

Albedo suddenly looked over at the red haired male with wide eyes, "Please no Rubedo! I don't want to see what's on the other side!" he begged.

Rubedo ignored him, his seemingly darkening blue eyes going over each of the clones. All almost exactly the same, the only different ones were him, Albedo and Nigredo. Just **what** was the point after their duties were done?

"Please! Don't do it!" Albedo was starting to wail in panik, tears streaking down his face, "No one knows what will happen! Not even Yuriev!"

Rubedo glared at nothing in sphysical sight. He clenched his fingers into a fist. The light around his hand began to intensify. Then hairline cracks began to form. The other Units suddenly wavered, feeling something was wrong amidst the rest of the chaos.

"Rubedo!" the call was almost drowned completely out by the roar of Unit 666's power. Rubedo gave a yell of anger, desperation and hope as he jerked his hand out of the circle, shattering the frail thread that wove the web-like link between all URTV's. At first, they all just stood there dumbstruck. Their hive like mind now broken into several pieces like a shattered mirror.

Without warning the streams of malformed faces came surging out of the pit. Albedo was instantly hit with one and fell to the steel cat walk they were standing on. Soon others were consumed by U-DO. Almost each and every one of them turning and running like a madman.

"Albedo!" the red headed URTV ran over to the unconcious Unit and shook him vigorously, "Wake up! Don't let U-DO consume you!" Rubedo was jerked away by many grabbing hands. They turned out to be the infected URTV! _Why now you ignorant bastard! Why did you have to panic _NOW Rubedo clutched his pouding head and threw it back, screaming at the top of his lungs in sheer desperation to get out....permanantly. Red waves of telepathy were sent in all directions, killing anything and everything it touched.

A planet zoomed into view. From space they could only just see small explosions happening on the surface. Then the image faded into a darkened hallway where the only lights were neon blue ones linding the edges of the carpeted floor. chaos sat on a cushioned seat near the turn point of the hallway. He wasn't wearing his old clothing. Now he was wearing a military type uniform, signifying his rank in the Federation. The young laughter he used to have was gone from his face. His eyes looked tired and drained. Even with the Teelaho to aid him, he was still fighting a loosing battle.

"The one in red with conflict, and the one in black with hunger, they live on, carrying great disaster in their tiny bodies." chaos mumbled to no one but himself after feeling the flutter across the universal strand of connection.

Looking a bit dazed, chaos glanced at the locked security door at the end of the hallway. Soon, he would meet the next pawn in their quest. Unfourtunately, that was the best word for them. Pawn. Or perhaps marionettes. Their liminality would soon be gone either down the drain, or helping them get home. All of this was based on one trade they would make to destroy Yavyn Mistra. Then they would fulfill their end of the bargain, and then things would go from there. chaos and his sisters were only a portion of the whole thing. Obviously the Fallen would not leave with them, they would stay until they found the three keys. And wipe out the aeons and the humans.

Suddenly the small red light on the side of the door turned green and it opened with a small hiss. A man with dark brown skin and a elaboratlely decorated robe stepped out. chaos recognized him to be Helmer, the head of the Federation. A noble man who was also a pawn, probably one of the few that was allowed to know about the phoenix's existence in their universe. But if Helmer did know, he never even let him know.

"Hello," Helmer greeted the 'youth', "I'm afraid that I havn't been able to look at your records yet due to my busy schedule."

The silvered haired young man stood up and extended a gloved hand, "chaos."

Helmer firmly shook his hand, "Pleased to meet you, chaos. Your partner is recieving his final tune-ups before he's ready for the mission. I'm sorry for the delay, but only the best can go."

"My partner is the latest module realian, is he not?" chaos wondered.

"Yes he is."

Realians, the best invention of the human race. They were the best, and the worst of things. Atleast though, they got rid of that infamous Life Recycling Act.

"Just to remind you representative, I'm only on this mission as an agent of my own mission. That's why I'm here." chaos informed gently yet firmly.

Helmer nodded without argument, "That's no problem. Just be sure to keep your progress from attracting unwanted attention. Would you like me to debrief you on the current situation?"

"That would be appreciated."

"The planet Miltia, is under seige by the force in abbreviated terms, U-DO. The good Doctor Dmitry Yuriev is stationed there with his 669 units of URTV. Although he claims the situation is under control, I need you and your partner to go into hostile territory and simply investigate."

chaos narrowed his eyes slightly, "Just a spying mission."

"Heh, a little more than that. You need to help retrieve three of the main URTV back to the group, they're falling apart without their leader. The agent we already sent is having trouble and called for backup. He's not just looking for them though, he's looking for a way to retrieve a certain realian that contains what's called the Y-Data. This is very important. But with all the recent events I can't send a full army to retrieve it."

chaos kept his expression the same, "You make it sound as if a realian is a mere object."

Helmer shuffled his feet, "I apalogize if my protocal makes it sound as if realians aren't living beings. But the reason I say _it_ is because the 100-series prototype isn't fully mature and able to leave her chamber."

_Last I checked she's almost finished. _He waved the apalogy aside, "Everyone has their own opinion. I assume that my partner has all the information we'll need."

"Correct. And be sure that they're returned alive."

"Will do, sir."

After a few more minutes of serious talk the door opened again and a man with red orange hair stepped out. He was a good head taller than chaos, his hair slightly falling across his eyes. He wore the same uniform as chaos, and had a thicker build than him.

Helmer glanced at the newcomer, "Here's is the specilist realian assigned to us from Vector industries. His name is Canaan."

You could only just see the information from his scanners run across his blue grey eyes, "Hello, you must be my partner chaos. Please to meet you." he greeted in a particularly monotone voice.

chaos nodded his head, "Same to you, Canaan."

Something beeped at Helmer's hip, "Well I'll leave you two to get acuainted. Your ship leaves in a few hours so I suggest you head over to the dock imediately. Good luck to both of you." the representative gave a slight nod and left, pulling a communicater from his pocket.

Canaan turned back to chaos, "It would be wise to start preparations on the new E.S. Asher unit equiped for our mission."

He nodded, "Yes we should." the two walked down the hall Helmer did and used one of the two elevators to the ground level. From there they made their way to the dock of the planet they were stationed on. The ship that was taking them was highly for stealth. Although it may look big for a stealth ship, it was the best. Meant for carrying giant machinary and equipment. They boarded and went straight to the hanger where the E.S. Asher was.

It was the one of the first of its kind. About the size of Albedo's E.S. Simeon, which they later found out that he'd created with special _'clients'_. Technicions and mechanics were already there making adjustments on the giant battle machine.

Canaan stepped next to the railing, placing one hand on it while examining the E.S. with his eyes. You could only just see the analysis code he was doing run acoss his pupils.

"It has many flaws. I assume those will be fixed before we reach our destination?" Canaan turned around.

"Every rose has its thorns, Canaan. Even you realians, and especially in humans. But those thorns will be plucked to your satisfaction." was chaos' reply.

"I do not understand."

chaos smiled, "It will be fixed. Although machines are more easier to be fixed than humans." the young adolescent started back up the stairs.

Canaan followed him, "I know, human's have so much illogical thought. Like love and happiness. It disturbs their duties."

"That's not what I meant."

"I wish to understand."

chaos tilted his head thinking, "What's the best way to put this....humans flaws aren't their emotions, Canaan. It's quite the oposite. Humans only flaws are that they've become too reliant on machines that they're becomming them in a basic sense. And no emotions means their race can die."

"But without these machines, it would be impossible for them to go on living."

"No they wouldn't. Mankind lasted so long without them when they first originated." _if only they could tap what they truly had. It's diminishing with their ignorance._

Canaan's social algarithms still could not analyze what chaos was saying, "If they were still as they were at the beginning of their reign, then when the time Earth became uninhabitable they would have died." he insisted.

"That's not what I meant either. Sorry, forget I said anything. I'm just confusing you." chaos quickly changed the subject, "That was your last tune ups right?"

"Yes they were."

"Well, we're going to depart soon. I'm going to go get some rest." chaos nodded Canaan goodbye and headed for the crew rooms. The advanced realian would stay in the maintanence lab where he could monitore his still new systems better.

chaos found his bunk next to the window to his delight. He leaped onto the top bed and scooted over next to it. He sat there staring at nothing for a long time. The ship rumbled as it took off.

The scenery rushed by in a blur. The colors bleeding into eachother until they broke through the atmosphere and he was faced with the never ending glittering black of space. His eyes reflected the many stars. The light seemed to easily pass through his eyes, making them seem like unique jewels. At first glance one would think his eyes were grey, then they'd think blue, then pale blue, then tourqouise. It didn't matter.

There was a pop and red, orange and yellow smeared across his view as they entered a column gate. It would take a few days to reach their destination. Of course he should rest, but no matter how much he slept he was never satisfied. It was like his body couldn't completely rejuvinate. chaos always felt tired and compelled to sleep, his soul felt hallow.

chaos laced his fingers behind his head and lay down on his back. Lately he'd been pleagued by things called nightmares. Never did he have a dream of something good. It was always a blurred, teasing image of the things he'd seen when it had first happened, or else the consciouse poison residing in his shoulder.

Almost as if in response to chaos' thought, his shoulder began to throb. The silvered haired boy ignored it. It was becoming harder and harder to resist the desease like poison. Due to the fact he was fighting it on his own was a big reason. chaos was afraid of it winning the fight, because he knew it wasn't a sickness to kill in body. Or else he would've been dead a very long time ago. Thanks to Kevin's Teelaho however, the dreaded fate that beheld him was delayed.

The thought of death sent a shiver through him and made his heart flutter with fear. chaos scrunched his eyes tightly closed, sweat beading his brow as the pain increased to unbearable. He swallowed with difficulty, keeping his tears at bay. The phoenix had never cried in years. Holding all the emotional and physical pain back. It was a bad desicion since it would all backfire on him big time eventually. chaos knew this full and well, but he couldn't help to do it anyway.

"Estimated destination is approximately three minutes from current position. All hands, please report to your designated areas imediately. Once again..." the automatic female voice repeated the orders through the main intercom. chaos adjusted his gloves over his sleeves as he entered the door to the maintanence lab. There he found Canaan finishing his final tune-ups before the mission. He sat on a chair a little like Ziggy's, only leaned back into a laying down position. The technicion pressed something on his screen and screens began blinking closed one by one.

"Mission agents please head to the hanger bay imediately. Take off window is in fifteen minutes."

Canaan opened his eyes. He didn't get up immediately; his systems took a few more seconds to boot up. Finaly the realian stood and followed chaos out without a word.

In the hanger they both boarded the E.S. Asher, Canaan in the lower seat while chaos took the seat above him. The screens began to light up and a low whine began to sound as the giant machine warmed up.

chaos looked down passed his foot through the small openening, "You ready Canaan?"

"Affirmative."

"Weapons Systems are go."

"Boost and thrusters are online. Scanners are set properly."

"Logic Drive secure."

"Shield and off hand weapons are good." the boot up continued until Canaan finished the last check.

chaos nodded, "Mission Control, this is the E.S. Asher. We are in the green."

"Roger E.S. Asher. You have approximately two minutes, and twenty-four seconds to departure. Good luck."

Orange light flooded the room as the hanger doors below them slowly opened up. Cold wind snapped the air, clouds painted pinkish red from the setting sun could be seen in fluffy lumps below.

"Ten seconds to lock release." the computer began countdown. Canaan and chaos both tightened their grip on the controls, "Three, two, one. Launch initiation in progress." there was a heavy click and the giant robot was sent flying forward. Once the E.S. Asher reached the end of the long hall way the clasps holding the shoulders of it opened and released it into the air. Instantly the thrusters activated and the battle E.S. flew straight into the clouds.

As they dropped in altitude, the clouds darkened and thinned. Revealing the spectacular sight of a giant city. The lights were blazing like embers of a magic fire carpeting a blanket of blackness.

"It doesn't look like the city's been evacuated yet."

"Helmer wants to be sure that U-DO doesn't spread." Canaan replied while pressing a few buttons on his screen, "It doesn't look like that force is the only thing here. Someone's set out auto-tech droids on guard. Do you see them?"

"Yes, not many people use auto-techs. I'm guessing that it's the orginization, the U-TIC." ahead of them, they could see several droids in what looked like a dancing formation. But actually they were patrolling and seemed to have sensed them. They broke formation and shot into their direction in perfect syncronization.

"Battle systems ready."

Asher sent several missiles and hit over six targets, heavily damaging or destroying the aut-techs. The giant robot turned and smacked away another trying to hit it from behind. chaos and Canaan worked the stiff controls like a one minded being. Very soon more than half of the auto-techs had been sent to oblivion. Asher spun in circles then smashed another.

"Down there." chaos watched a lower formation of auto-techs start circling in perfect formation. The ES shot downwards straight into the middle of the fray, instantly being bombarded. The giant mech spun and fired a beam of bluish light destroying its target. The auto-techs and ES wrestled in the air like birds of prey fighting over a kill. The remaining machines suddenly dispersed out of sight and off the scanners.

"They are using cloaking devices. Their engines are of a sub-material, heat signitures won't do anything." Canaan reported.

chaos positioned the ES and closed his eyes. Silence reigned except for the occasional beep of the moniters. Canaan looked up through the seats at what his companion was doing. chaos suddenly opened his eyes and jerked the mech around, firing a solid beam perfectly through the lined up auto-techs. Asher turned again and thrust its off hand weapon into the gut area of another one. There were several clicks as the weapon dislodged itself from the arm. After a half a minute passed the weapon went into selfdestruct, taking the mech with it.

"Recharging." particles of energy surrounded both Asher's hands and formed into the weapons it'd just dispersed.

"The U-TIC are everywhere," Canaan said, then looked from his screen down below, "Look, those are the URTV's. Looks like the situation has changed since Helmer recieved a transmission."

"Yes, it would seem that way." chaos said grimly, "Let's set Asher down over there. We'll clear out the auto-techs then if we havn't found him by then we'll search on foot."

"Affirmative."

Nigredo gasped and sat bolt upright looking about in wild panic. Where was he? What had happened? The last thing he remembered was being struck by Rubedo's blast of panic....literally. In the distance he heard persistant gunfire, screams, explosions.

The URTV coughed dust from his lungs and shoved the debri that had fallen on his legs. In doing so he uncovered the staring face of one of his comrades. Nigredo almost fell back in shock, then recovered quickly. He stumbled to his feet and rushed out of the chamber with the now quiet pit.

"I was lucky." Nigredo mumbled to himself. None of U-DO had contaminated him. Nigredo skidded to a halt at the horrific image portrayed before him. The other Units were killing everything in sight, noninfected and infected. Why wasn't Yuriev stopping them? The professor had the power, why not do so?

Then it occured to him it was because the main link had been broken.

"Damn it! Rubedo! Albedo! Where are you guys!" the black haired boy leaped onto the hood of a downed civilian hovercraft. He aimed his automatic and began killing the Units one by one till the street was empty of living beings other than him and fleeing U-TIC soldiers, "Rubedo! Where are you! Rubedo!" he called again in his high pitched voice. He jumped down lightly and ran across the wide freeway, reaching out with his mind as to where his friends were. If U-DO was becoming this out of hand....then what of Sakura and her family? Nigredo picked up his pace to a dead run, shooting any URTV or U-TIC that tried to get in his way.

After what seemed like hours the URTV had to stop and rest. Neither Albedo nor Rubedo were in his range of mental reach in his drained condition. Nigredo saw a charred sign indicating the park was nearby. The park might be the best place to rest at the moment, most military didn't care about such an obsolete place. Indeed, it was hardly touched, quiet, almost serene. Nigredo sighed heavily, trying to wipe the smoke from his face, only succeding in smearing it more. He sniffed, and slumped down onto the nearest bench.

It must've been a few hours later, because the next thing he knew someone had touched his face, then he snapped awake. Clawing at air.

"What the - ? I could've sworn..." no one was within sight. Nigredo stood, his muscles yelling in protest. He readied his rifle as he slowly approached the center of the park where an elegant stone structure had been built for looks. Someone was there....although....they must've been very good at keeping their mind clear and mute.

Nigredo whipped around and pointed his rifle only to have it ripped out of his hands by an unseen force. Shocked, the URTV looked up at the figure leaning against the center stone structure. She was leaning with her back against the stone, one foot propped up flat against it. Her uniform was strangely almost exactly the same as his. Although, she was a good foot and three quaters taller than him. Her short orange hair was pulled back by a headband, her blue eyes emotionless yet gentle as she turned her head.

"You are the same as we are."

"The same?"

The young lady stood up and walked a few steps towards him, "Code Name: Red Dragon. Beneficial, but extremely prone to go berserk."

Nigredo arched a brow in confusion, "Red Dragon? What, what are you talking about?" an explosion shook the ground causing him to look where it came from, then looked back to see she was gone.

_What?!_

Sakura helped Rubedo as he dragged himself up the hill. He didn't seem to be physically injured, but he was almost as limp as a rag doll.

"What's wrong Rubedo? Where are your friends? Why have they not come as well?"

"I can't hear it..." Rubedo fell to one knee, dragging the girl with him, "I can no longer feel the other beating in my right chest..."

"Is that why you are crying?"

"I killed them..." Rubedo's grip on her shoulder tightened painfully making her flinch but he didn't notice, "I killed them all! And for what? Just a little fear that should've been dealt with at the appropriate time!" he was yelling at himself now, "I made a selfish mistake, and now everyone else is paying for it!"

Sakura gritted her teeth tightly, "Rubedo," she said his name with great gentleness, "You made the desicion out of haste, out of a burst of fear, it is human to make mistakes..." she wasn't sure _she_ would be of much help considering she hardly knew anything of emotions other than what she'd read and felt around the three URTV's.

"A mistake that costs more than what should be safe! I just killed Milita, you and your family need to get out of here before U-DO comes to your home!" Rubedo angrily wiped the tears away, hating the fact he was showing weakness.

The little Mizrahi girl's expression became forlorned, "Please Rubedo, I will not be happy ever again if you continue to blame yourself."

"What I feel is not important right now! You need to get off Miltia before - !"

"ALBEDO NOOO!!!" Nigredo's scream echoed across the trees and field.

**0.0 Oh this chapter's getting a little too long. Looks like one more chapter (which will definately be shorter than this one) and we'll be on the final chapter in the present future in my fic. -falls over- i garantee! Absolutely swear i will get this done within the next week and a half! -falls over exhausted.**


	38. Chapter 38 Part: 14

**Ok, peoples, i was running out of ideas for Jr, so this chapter is perhaps more confusing than the last cause i couldn't put enough pieces together with my own idears. Also it's going to be kinda short, i was trying to make it longer, but yet again i ran out of ideas. So i hope it ain't too much trouble.**

**Chapter 38: Part 14: **

At that very moment Sakura experienced Rubedo's inhuman side even further. His grip tightened around her small frame painfully and the next thing she knew she was in a different section of her fathers land. Nigredo was wrestling with Albedo over a knife when they arrived.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Rubedo joined the fray, leaving Sakura on the sidelines to watch the horrific scene. Blood had already stained the albino haired URTV as if he'd cut himself prior to being found by Nigredo.

Albedo cackled madly and threw the two boys off with a blast of violet telekenetic energy. He gripped his head and snapped his own neck with his unnatural strength. Sakura flinched at the sight, feeling her stomach lurch badly. Albedo remained standing a moment long enough to stab himself in the gut, getting the reactions he wanted from them before crumbling to the ground with a dead thud.

Rubedo breathed hard, "What?! What is he doing?! Why did he just do this? This is all my fault!" the red head punched the nearest thing which happened to be a partially finished stone structure. It cracked heavily under his force. Nigredo bit his lower lip, clenching his fingers, the nails almost piercing the flesh of his palms. Neither of the URTV's looked at the corpse, or at Sakura who was trembling in her shoes. Unable to pry her eyes away from the shell of Albedo.

_Twitch..._

She blinked, "Rubedo...?" she asked in a voice that was a mear thread.

"If I hadn't made that stupidass desicion this wouldn't have happened!" Rubedo continued ranting on at his mistakes, "Nigredo! You weren't affected by U-DO were you?? If you are I'm going to kill myself!" he didn't seem to be paying attention to anything, not even his words.

Nigredo tried to calm his leader, but nothing he said or did would shut him up. He paused in his attempts to look behind Rubedo.

Rubedo wiped away his tears angrily, before glancing over his shoulder to see something he wasn't expecting.

Albedo's body twitched, jerked violently as it was surrounded by golden light particles. He sat up, shaking in weakness, then stood up, "Heh, hehahahahaha!! This new power is amazing Rubedo! You don't get what a favor you did for me!"

After a minute or perhaps more of staring before glaring at the other. He stomped up to Albedo and socked him with his good fist right in the face, "Fool!" he sent Albedo flying back to the ground, "Don't do something like that again! If you die...then you won't be able to come back alive!!" he started after Albedo again but Nigredo retrained him, and having much trouble in doing so.

Albedo watched him, one hand held to stop the tiny trickle of blood flowing out of the corner of his mouth, "Could it be....." he began quietly, "that you guys can't regenerate?"

"Of course not!"

"That's your unique ability!" Nigredo managed to say.

"Only me..." Albedo suddenly looked sad, "are - are you guys gonna die one day and leave me behind?!!"

Rubedo calmed, taking in deep breaths, "Albedo, please don't. There is enough chaos going around this planet as it is!" the white haired URTV suddenly looked ashamed, as usual his moods switched very quickly and he grinned, "Of course, please accept my apalogy. I did not know..." his mind began whirling with the possibilities and the power he felt growing inside him. U-DO wasn't a virus, it was stirring within, and yet the other two did not even know.

chaos stepped out of the ES Asher onto the landing platform on Proto Merkabah. He told Canaan to remain where he was, there was a third added to their party however. He insisted on comming with him, chaos had firmly denied it but the man was purely stubborn.

The soldier bent, feeling sharp pains in his body from his recent battle, then straightened up, "You said this is the place with the Y-Data? How do you know this?"

"Come on, I'll explain later." he had a bad feeling about upcoming events, he couldn't ignore the feeling so he just had to come and be sure MOMO was secure. Jin Uzuki wiped a smear of dirt and sweat from his face and followed.

"What exactly is this place for, chaos?"

"Information, manufacturing, research." chaos climbed the iron stairs then headed for the elevators. Once inside he pressed the key for the lower levels.

"The prototype...wonder why Mizrahi made the first models after little girls." Jin mused aloud.

chaos watched the numbers lower along with the elevator, "Needs, wants, dreams, hopes. All in vain, no one can copy that of another. You can't always change someone."

"What would changing someone have to do with the 100-series prototype?" Jin asked.

"Something you might understand one day. But not now." chaos exited when the doors opened. He passed all the security bots without them acknowledging them until he reached the floor below where MOMO was being kept. There he found Dr. Mizrahi himself working on the little realian. Her appearance had changed since he last saw her, she seemed more solid, stronger.

"Dr. Mizrahi?"

The man wearing a green tunic and dark pants turned, the wrinkles in his face told his age, yet his eyes were soft as a young boys who had just made a brand new discovery, "If I recall correctly... you are that boy Kevin Winnicot found a little more than a month ago. You get back on your feet quite fast, I'm impressed." he turned back to the prototype.

"Dr. Mizrahi," chaos began, "what are your plans for the near future?"

"She is almost finished, " the old scientist, "Soon she will be born into this world."

"Mizrahi please!"

He turned to look at them again, "I have some of my orginization coming very soon. They do not seem to need me anymore, except for what I've done for the past many years."

"Who? What orginization?" chaos felt a chill sliver up and down his spine, a familiar presence he'd just seen down on the planet, fighting with Jin even.

"The one trying to strip the planet and awaken that which is asleep." Mizrahi stepped away from the panel, allowing one of the many Kirshwassers to take his place. The grey haired models were all gathered in the one room, there was about 72 of them, the rest were somewhere else.

"Joachim you didn't." chaos said in a slipping tone of frustration, "You did not just tell Margulis that MOMO was ready to come out!"

Mizrahi stepped near the youth and placed a withered hand on his shoulder, "Why is that a problem?" he'd been so ignorant for someone so intellegent. So many secrets kept from him as he did from everyone else. He had extensive knowledge of the Phoenix race, and many other things that could be useful in even another universe.

"Joachim! Do you realise the mistake you just made! Margulis and the Orginization you created are going to take MOMO, and pull her apart piece by piece until they get the Y Data locked within her!" chaos almost yelled.

"They cannot get to it, it is too well protected. From both sides, Kevin provided one half of defense, you provided the other. Why should I be worried about my daughter's new sister?" Mizrahi asked calmly.

"She's protected in the mind, but not in body. What do you think she'll think of you if she's tortured until the security is bypassed. So long in the dark, wriggling in discomfort and pain. Would you want that for _any_ of your children?" such simple words with so much meaning. It delved straight inside the darkest corners of the scientist's heart.

Mizrahi turned to his Kirshwassers, "Prepare MOMO Unit for imediate activation and transport. You must escort your little sister our of this facility." without question the little realians did what they were told. chaos refrained from fidgeting. He knew rushing this wouldn't help any, but time was against them. The U-TIC orginization, which consisted of many Fallen was heading this way.

Rain pelted Miltia with a stubborn defiance it seemed. Thunder rumbled relentlessly across the skies, particularly over the city. Rubedo stood alone, water and coldness soaking him to the bone till he was numb and could feel no more. His thoughts strayed to his mistake, then the pandemonium he'd created by destroying the link. Miltia was going to be destroyed because of him. The URTV looked up as the sky lit up with explosions briefly.

"Rubedo?" the soft voice could barely be heard through the downpour. Sakura positioned the black umbrella to where it sheltered them both.

"You shouldn't be here, Sakura. You might catch a cold."

"And Rubedo won't?" the brunette gave him a '_ya right' _look before looking out over the city view, "Rubedo thinks he did a bad thing huh?"

"It was a terrible, selfish thing." he replied, he felt his stomach flutter with self hate and anger for a moment.

"But Rubedo and his friends can make it right, right?" such innocent questions.

Rubedo smirked slightly, bits of water sliding down his face, "I don't know. I don't believe we could even if we tried anyway."

Sakura's expression changed from curiousity to sadness, "Is...is me and my family in danger if we stay here any longer?"

The red haired URTV hated seeing that face, suddenly without thinking he took the fragile girl in his arms and held her close, "Don't worry Sakura, we'll take care of you and your family. U-DO and the U-TIC will not be allowed to destroy you." it felt very awkward giving someone a hug, since he'd never given one before in his entire life. The URTV's were raised as soldiers, never cuddled or comforted. This sort of thing was alien to him. Suddenly he heard sniffing, Sakura's breathing became a bit labored.

"Hey... are you alright?"

"Yes, " she replied in a small voice, "I'm just glad you're here with me. I'm glad to have met you and your friends."

Rubedo's grim face managed to crack a tiny smile, "Thank you. Let's get you under the porch, you'll eventually get wet even with that thing."

When they climbed the steps they found Nigredo in a lounging position against the far wall, Albedo sitting on the railing.

"Done staring?" Albedo asked, in his hand was a small razor, his sleeve was soaked with blood. He cut a small scrape and watched it heal.

"Stop that Albedo, atleast while Sakura's around."

The albino haired kid sighed heavily, "Fine fine." he tore the bloody sleeve away and tossed it out into the rain along with the razor, "How long has it been?" he suddenly asked.

"If you mean since the incident with the ring it's been a few days."

Albedo cackled a moment, "You think you can still protect others eh?"

Rubedo narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean you eve's dropper?"

He shrugged, "It's not U-DO and Mizrahi's U-TIC that she needs to worry about. It's you." obviously he'd been snooping in Juli's mind unknown to her knowledge.

"Why me?"

"You're the one who brought this down upon us. You're the danger here. _You_ are the one who can't control himself!"

Nigredo looked up, "Stop it you two." Sakura looked uncertainly back and forth between the URTV's. The rain receded to a miserable drizzle, then a light sprinkle. Eventually the clouds parted and rays of sunlight began to feel their way to the ground quickly.

"Ya? Well atleast I'm not the one running around cutting himself up!" Rubedo couldn't find another counter; everything his clone brother was saying was true. Albedo suddenly seemed like a stranger, everything had changed some how since that time with U-DO. The difference from before hit him so fiercly it almost knocked him over.

Nigredo stood up and held out his hands towards both of them, "Hey I said stop it!"

Albedo grinned like a maniac, "And you havn't told him yet Nigredo? I can't believe you two! Storing secrets has become so much easier now that we are not a hive mind now." he stood on the railing with perfect balance to gain the expressive advantage to creep them out, "So, does that mean we all hide secrets to save ourselves? You, Rubedom don't even know the half of what you just did. But I will have to thank you for your mistake. Many will die because of you Rubedo, for _your _clumsy - !" he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence because the next second he was tackled with huge force. The two URTV's went flying head over heels until they hit the sopping lawn. Almost instantly they were both on their feet, Albedo playing cat and mouse with Rubedo. Nigredo leaped over the railing with equal speed and pursued them.

"Nigredo wait!" Sakura screamed, she had a hard enough time seeing them as blurs. The black haired boy skidded to a halt and glanced back impatiently as Sakura finished her sentence, "I want to help!"

"But - ." Nigredo grunted in irritation, no time to debate! Sakura gasped when she blinked and was suddenly met with a blurred scenery hanging onto Nigredo's neck for dear life.

Flashes of red and purple met in constant barrages. The earth was torn up by their fast movements, the air cracked with sharp booms as their telekenetic energy smacked into eachother. The anger inside of Rubedo, the self hate was eating him alive and Albedo knew this, and he was egging his clone brother on, trying to get him to reveal something U-DO had shown him. He just had to make sure....

"Go go go!" Jin yelled at the Kirshwassers as he sliced through the U-TIC soldiers easily with his katana, it wouldn't be long before they were overrun. As fast as he and chaos killed them, the faster more reinforcements came. And no doubt Margulis was making his confident stroll down the corridors towards them.

Instantly the Kirshwassers hussled out into a secret passagway hauling their "Father's" prized realian. She still wasn't quite awake, so when the U-TIC came they had to do an emergency partial to release her from the service cylinder. This was very risky in her fragile state.

"Joachim go with MOMO!!" chaos growled as he let his enemy fall.

"You have to follow - ."

"I know, first we have to take care of this!" the silver haired male ushered the scientist into the emergency tunnel. Instantly he whipped around, sending a blast of white hot energy into the chest of a soldier trying to sneak up from behind.

"Let's go Jin, you're exhausted enough as it is!"

Jin sliced two deep cuts in his enemy's chest and took a moment to catch his breath, "Ok, let's get going." he jumped into the door, chaos close on his heels, only taking a moment to latch the door shut behind him.

"Come on you're becoming slower than me!" Jin spat in irritation. chaos didn't respond, merely reacted. The two ran swiftly up the tunnel, having to bend their heads slight since it was so compact. Joachim had already gone ahead with the Kirshwassers to save the Y-Data unit. They came to an airlocked door. Jin grunted with effort in trying to open it manualy. There was a release of air pressure and it popped open, allowing them access to the main hanger where the ES Asher was.

An explosion greeted them. Canaan was piloting the mech against ten other Auto-Techs and six manned AGWS. Asher whirled around sending a beam of energy into two of the mechs. From the way it was looking it was about to overheat, their mech had been going almost straight forward for the past week it seemed, not really having a chance to cool its systems.

chaos pressed one finger against his ear, "Canaan over in the third sector of the hanger. You need to take Jin and escort the Y-Data when it ejects from the station. You have ten minutes got it?"

"Roger, I'm on my way now." the ES began swiping the hostile machines to the side in an attempt to get to his destination.

"What? Why aren't you coming with us??" Jin exclaimed.

"I will, just in a different way."

"No way! I don't know what's going on in that little brain of yours mister but there's plenty of room in that mech for us!" he objected. They both ducked as an enemy mech blew up, sending bits of sharp metal and blistering sparks.

"This is not your side's call anymore." chaos replied, "Get on Asher now." without another word chaos slipped along the wall and vanished out of sight. Jin cursed, considered for a split second in whether to follow but at that moment Canaan opened the mech's doors.

Rubedo smacked his fist into the palm of his other hand in frustration, "Once I get my hands on that bastard he's going to pay!!" they'd pursued the albino haired URTV but eventually he'd gotten away. Now they sat near the cliffs cutting off to the sea of Miltia. They'd taken Sakura far from her home so suddenly as well, her mother was probably frantic by now but she seemed more concerned about Rubedo than anything else. Her green eyes watched him in his frustration, she herself not saying a word.

"You need to calm down." Nigredo stated for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, "You're letting him get to you with his fancy words! You're playing into his hand each time!"

"I - know that! It's just - .....ahg!!" he stomped his foot and sat down on a nearby boulder not caring if it was still wet from the rainfall.

Sakura walked over to him, climbing up beside him, soiling her neat white dress in the process, "Why does Rubedo get so angry? Can he not control what arises?"

"It's complicated... I'm just.... short tempered I guess." was all the red head could say.

"Why?"

"It's just.... who I am."

Nigredo almost smirked, "Exactly my friend, we all are unique. Some are tempramental, some are calm and collective, others are flat out crazy. It's just natural for one to be born like this."

"But you all were made of the same person are you not? And yet you all act differently, whether it is subtle, or aparent." Sakura responded with the tone that she had figured a few things out.

"That's very true, Sakura." Rubedo managed a smile before looking away, "Wish I had your sense to keep calm."

Sakura narrowed her eyes slightly before leaning over and pecking Rubedo on the cheek, "Calm is not always good to me, Sakura's been calm and... well... emotionless before you three came. I don't know how, but your presence has awoken what I thought was dead inside. And for you giving me these experiences I am grateful." her smile was so sweet and innocent, it made Rubedo flush red even more than when she'd kissed him.

"You're....uh....welcome. Heh." Rubedo fumbled to spit the words out but they just refused to come out right. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Nigredo mouth _"Idiot!"_ with a slight grin on his face. He returned the smart alec look with a very rude gesture that he made behind his back so that only Nigredo could see.

chaos ran lightly over the debri knocking away any soldiers that came into his path. Canaan had already left, and was now aiding in the escape for the Y-Data and MOMO. Right now he had to buy them time from the fallen phoenix's before they took flight in frustration.

"Margulis!" chaos growled as he landed in front of the main doorway as the Fallen phoenix stepped out, "You don't go any farther."

The old looking man drew his katana, taking a step forward, "What makes you think that a weakening boy like you could stop me. Yavyn's poison that she had given to your lady love has affected you further than your body and you know it. You're weak, even if you had your sisters to back you up it wouldn't matter in a battle against me."

"That doesn't mean I couldn't give you a hard time about it. Beside's you know the rules, you kill me and you kill yourself." chaos replied.

Margulis smirked, "Those rules don't count in this universe I'm afraid."

"What?"

"The rules are different here, so to exist here we automatically adjust ourselves. We still are forcing the ether here to submit to our existenc's so that we can stay here but in doing so we can survive without a binding force." Margulis started advancing, "So you and your sisters are subject to Yavyn's will whether you live or die!!" he swung down once but missed as chaos evaded and blocked it with his spear.

chaos twirled his spear above his head, bringing it down and cracking the blunt side on his shoulder before spinning around and slashing with the bladed end across the chest. Margulis took that moment to get within chaos' guard. chaos leaned back in time to avoid being stabbed, and payed with falling off the platform.

He flipped in midair, managing to land gracefully and in time to block Margulis leaping after him. Weapons clashed again and again, neither being able to strike eachother more than a scratch. By the time Margulis had forced the battle out onto the landing platform chaos had several cuts in his clothing though few with actual blood drawn.

"Come on," chaos baited, "If I'm so weak then you should be able to take me on easily." his face remained impassive.

"Commander! The ES Asher is escorting an escape vessel away from Proto Merkabah!" one of the remaining mechs reported.

Margulis fixed an icy glare at chaos whom shrugged casually as if to say _"Hey not my fault you don't pay attention buster."_ The silver haired adolescent pointed his spear straight up, the rings hanging off the shaft suddenly flying up as if being pulled by invisible strings. Waves of dark and light blue eminated from it and he pointed to the remained mechs, "Azul Chains!" energy chains blasted out of the tip and pierced the machine's armor in a connecting line. Where the chains penatrated sharps lines began to spread throughout the entire machine then it shattered. chaos felt a weight slam into him, sending pain teeming into his side.

"Come on let's take this to the skies." Margulis sent a blast of energy to a panel near the door in which he'd exited. The terminal sparked for a few moments then exploded. Alarms started flashing, blaring out, "Alert! Alert! Docking bay sheilds will power down in fifteen seconds. Repeat..."

Margulis ran with the rush of wind as it was sucked into the void of space, blackened feathers whirling around his body as he changed shape.

"No Margulis you fool!" an aura of light blue and white surrounded chaos as he pursued his enemy out of the hanger.

In the orbit of Miltia two bright flares of light exited the side of Proto Merkabah. They took shape of hawklike birds the size of half the ship. Their calls shook the computers and minds of any that could hear, military was baffled as the beings were defying all that they knew.

"What the hell is that!!" Jin yelled as he watched the black phoenix glide easily after them on the moniter. He leaned to one side to look out the mech's window that surounded the entire cockpit to get a real look at it.

Canaan didn't know, his personal and the mech's sensors were being overrun with readings that didn't make sense, "Doctor Mizrahi please accelerate to the planet. We don't know what this thing is capable of." he whipped Asher around and fired off several rounds of missiles. They exploded almost right when they left their chambers.

"Point blank damage is critical! I don't understand those were in the green!" Canaan muttered as he switched everything to backup so the main lines wouldn't burst immediately.

"That creature is emitting an aura of incredible power, the computers can't decipher what the energies exactly are." Jin reported what he read off his terminals. He looked up, "Watch out!" they both braced themselves for impact.

It didn't come.

The giant bird was suddenly pulled back. The pheonix behind him held on firmly with his beak on the other's tail. chaos jerked his body and threw him away from the mech and pursued to keep the Fallen at bay.

Canaan and Jin watched in amazement for a few moments before a spark hit Canaan's forhead snapping him back to their situation, "Mizrahi's vessel isn't on our scanners. And it doesn't show that he went through the atmosphere to the planet either."

"Well then where'd they go?! There hasn't been any gate out readings."

"What's that?" Nigredo pointed at eratic yet giant bursts of light deep in the sky.

Rubedo and Sakura looked to where he was pointing but it wasn't hard to find it. The blasts were foggy enough to tell that they were beyond and not in the atmosphere, "I don't know. But if that's where I think it is.... " Rubedo shook his head, "It's not likely you're going to see explosions if they're in space. The mass of the exploding object has to be enormous such as Proto Murkabah."

Sakura's expression turned fearful, "Not Daddy's ship. Those explosions aren't of a man made origin. I can tell by the way the waves are constant. A ship will explode ande that's it. This is continuous."

"But not even the gnosis have that many that are big enough to do that. And besides, they never go into conflicts with eachother that we've seen."

"You feel that power?" Albedo appeared seemingly out of nowhere startling them, "What's going on up there is what we are capable of."

"What are you talking about you U-DO infested freak." Rubedo growled.

"Oh that hurts Rubedo it really does." he cackled, "So many things you don't know. Perhaps if you let go of what you hold dear you could know."

"Huh?"

"That Sakura. There's one better, worth more than almost the entire human race. She's the one that the U-TIC and the Federation are wanting to get their hands on. And Sakura, you know your precious Daddy is in the proccess of creating this 'little sister' for you."

Sakura didn't respond, merely looked at Albedo with placid green eyes.

"You bastard! Shut up and leave Sakura out of this! She has nothing to do with it!" a red aura began to surround Rubedo as he stepped forward. Nigredo did nothing, or was unsure of what to do.

"And what good would this girl do for you? You are a monster, a demon of hell! You couldn't possibly let this little angel be harmed by your hurting nature." he pulled out his own aura, deep violet, almost black.

"AAAARRRRRGHHH!!!" the red haired URTV sent a shockwave of telekenetic energy that clashed with Albedo's.

"Rubedo! No!!" Sakura screamed.

The ground began to shake violently as the URTV's powers grew. Albedo felt his feet slight back as his former friend began to gain the upper hand, "COME ON!!" he yelled over the roar of energies. Perhaps it was just a fluke, or maybe more, but the next thing all the URTV's saw was Sakura leaping between them. Her body flared with calming light as the clash was nullified and then she was gone. Simply vanished. No longer even a body left.

"........" Rubedo looked at his clone brother who looked back. Nigredo caught Rubedo's eye somehow, the three standing in a triangle of power that was still teeming with the mind's will. Without them knowing the black haired URTV had joined the fray trying to stop them with little difference. Albedo suddenly felt something spike, first it started within Rubedo who's emotions were now beyond their peak. Their true potential was being awakened.

"Thank you Sakura," Albedo smirked, " I guess you had your use after all."

chaos suddenly felt something stir on the planet, and it wasn't U-DO that he felt. He turned his attention toward it. _Aeons...._ or to be more precise, the beings that ruled this universe, the dragons. He'd thought they were extinct or almost gone and not willing to show themselves. Aparently he'd been wrong. Three of them. One snow white, one void black, and the last crimson red blasted their way up out of the atmosphere.

The red one instantly sighted chaos and, in its rage attacked him relentlessly. The other two joined the fray as it became a free for all. Margulis took this chance and opened a portal for himself and vanished inside with several U-TIC mechs and ships following a mindspoken command to retreat, anyone left behind remained. chaos was smashed into the side of Miltia stomach first and felt the red dragon bite and snap his wing bone before he managed to reverse the pin and even then he couldn't hold it. At last after not even a second of pause the phoenix got his distance from the maddaned reptillions. He took in a breath gathering any energy particals into a concintrated beam and sent it right through the red ones chest.

The dragon sat there for a moment in pain. Then all the blood that had splattered out into space started to gather back into the wound along with the dispersed energy particles behind him. Once the beam of light went through him backwards and the wound was healed. Not healed, chaos realized as he dodged his own attack. Dragons normally represented time because they lived so long. The Aeons could manipulate time!!

All of a sudden the fight was interrupted by Miltia's surface exploding with waves of light and energy. U-DO had awakened! chaos saw this was going beyond his ability. He saw out of the corner of his eye escape and military vessals gating out of the system. The red dragon suddenly turned, slitted eyes glowing from the inside, mouth open, teeth bared in threat.

The sun looked as if its image flexed then imploded as the aeon increased the time in its area so that it collapsed in on itself as the star died.

Again the dragons clashed with eachother not remembering who they were or what they were fighting for anymore with chaos defending himself in the middle. It was very difficult, so much was going on around them and with them manipulating little pockets of time constantly it became even more so than pandemonium.

_MOMO looked at her friend, "Jr?" she said quietly, "Do you only like me because of my sister?" her amber eyes looked like sparkling jewels as they began to cry at the truth of what she had just seen._

_Jr didn't look back, his fingers were curled into fists and were shaking, "MOMO... no it's...."_

_Mist curled around them the same way as it had Ziggy and Shion. Jr let himself shake in his fear and frustration obviously at this point, in front of him stood inochi. Her soft expression making him hate himself even more for what he'd done._

_"You want a new life for yourself Rubedo." she said in a tone that matched her face, "But do you have the strength and will to gain it?" just like chaos she turned into a monster at that point and attacked him, testing to see if he could face his past._

_Jr pulled out his BLOOD9's, firing them relentlessly at inochi but she didn't seem to notice as she approached. He ducked and rolled out of the way, landing on one knee and fired again. inochi knocked his weapons out of his hands sending them flying out of his reach. _

_Jr felt her tentacles wrap tightly around him, "NO!!" he screamed and forced her to let go by using his powers. She was everywhere and nowhere at once, he just couldn't concintrate enough to keep her in his sight. Too many times he was hit, eventually he fell to the ground exhausted. _Get up you fool!!_ The URTV forced himself to his feet..._

**I hope it wasn't THAT confusing. Sorry for the delay i had my first finals. Next is the final chapter of this so DON'T MISS IT!! oh by the way should anyone want i finished my pictures of inochi, shi, Nyima and Keteya. So if you want them just email me or something.I promise the next chapter will come soon.**


	39. Chapter 39: Phoenix's Rise

**Trickyfrog:** Actually it is the end of Jr's part, and of this book. -looks around-

**Cela Andromeda: **-hides- scary-comes out- Don't yell at me you'll get your Allen part when Jr's part ends, kinda short but it's the only thing I could think of. But you never know it could be extended.

**Behold the final chapter of this fic! Now I hope you won't kill me for the ending after this. -takes a bow- I thank you all for reviewing even though I kept rambling on that it was bad (i still think it's bad until i fix it all). Aparently you all still love it even though i don't. So i shall stop rambling now and let you read.**

**Chapter 39: Pheonix's Rise**

_The skin around Jr's eyes turned crimson red and scaley, the pupils of his eyes turned into reptillion slits. He rounded on inochi as she came gliding toward him but was too late. She slammed into the little figure sending both of them flying across the misty white ground. The two supernatural beings faught relentlessly, clawing at eachother, pulling at eachother's hair and even biting till they bled through their clothing. _

_Jr felt all his mind focus on his enemy, the one he had to defeat in order to gain the will he needed to this new life she was claiming he wanted. In ways it was very true, he wanted to dump all that he'd done and seen in his earlier years and start anew. To live in the peace that had eluded him, taunting the URTV just out of his reach._

_inochi kicked him off, sending him flying a good ten feet into the air straight up. She flipped to her feet and stabbed up with two tentacles, one of which caught Jr right in the center of his chest. Jr gagged as pain shot through his nerves and his breath was stolen away from his lunges. Reaching down he tried to grasp the ethreal tentacles but is hand passed right through it, instead his eyes began to flare with red light. inochi screamed inhumanly and dropped her prey. The red head landed lightly on the balls of his feet and leaped once, crashing into the infected phoenix for the umptinth time._

_Jr pinned her to the floor despite he was about two heads shorter, he snarled a cobra like hiss, his strength increasing with every moment as the inner secret that Yuriev had hid in his blood and clan for years awakened. inochi felt her neck bones begin to crack as Jr's fingers tightened around her neck. Snaking bher hand up, she placed it directly on his face shoving it upward so that he began to lose his grip. Blood dripped from from her already sodden clothing, she felt the needle sharp endges of the URTV's teeth digging deep into her flesh. inochi screamed a war cry, thrusting her other hand straight through the dragon's gut. Jr's expression changed to surprise. A moment passed. Two. He coughed blood. There wasn't anything he could do..._

_"You are not ready... I am sorry Rubedo."_

Nephilim looked sad - no - disapointed. But there was nothing she could do about it. The URTV's last chance would come. Till then..."You have learned a little part in chaos' story. Now you have to work up the will to fight against the most trusting friend you've ever known. Perhaps even kill him if it releases him from the living nightmare."

"Kill him" Shion exclaimed"We can't do that! Not after all he's done for us! Especially since not even you know if there's something beyond death for your race." Both Nephilim and Febronia exchanged glances.

MOMO stepped forward"This can't be the only way! We have to repay chaos! Like Shion said... he's worth a lot to each of us. What would happen if we killed Yavyn Mistra instead? Wouldn't that release him and his sisters from her hold"

For once Nephilim looked uncertain"It might and might not. It is not like the Gnosis Queen let's us roam freely about her to pry her secrets."

"Well, how do we escape if we're merged with the planet like all the other people then" Matthews spoke up.

"We don't." Kos-mos' voice startled everyone. She'd been silent during the flashback that even for an android it was too quiet.

Nephilim suddenly turned to MOMO as the argument went on, handing her three silver marbles. They felt solid yet like liquid , and not there at the same time"Take these."

"What are they" she asked curisouly fingering them.

"To you they will become transformations. Help them remember... for their sake MOMO..." the aparation for once looked in pain.

"What do you mean 'we don't'. Then how are we going to help chaos" Hammer snapped.

"From the small connection signal to my robotic self she is picking up a being that puzzles her more so than the phoenixes." the representation stated.

"Huh? What does that have to do with any of this" Shion asked.

_"Morning cheif."_

"Allen what are you talking " when the engineer turned around she saw that the memories had not quite ended. Whether this was planned by Feb and Nephilim she didn't know and wouldn't since they seemed to have disapeared. Unlike the others memories however which had been crystal clear, this was faded, as if the reception was very bad.

_"Morning Allen. What's on the agenda today" Shion asked as she was handed a data pad. They were in the old lab before they'd been transfered to the Woglinde._

_"Ah just a few tests and new equipment installment. Tomorrow the Encephalon should be stable enough that we can take a peek inside and start to orginize everything."_

_"Good work Allen. Hey Miyuki can you get the modifications ready"_

_The light brown haired girl smiled"Righto Chief_ _I'll be right back"_

Why were they being shown this? It didn't make sense there was nothing out of the ordinary.

_The team went through the preparations and began the new installs, then the testings of the Encephalon's stability began. Everything was shaky in Kos-mos' mind at this time, but this day everything was steady going. Allen suddenly approached Shion as she was making modifications to a new program she was inputing._

_"Hey, um, Chief" his usual uncertainty when he started to ask something that was a little personal or made him uncomfortable"You doing ok"_

_The brunette looked up"Huh? I'm doing fine Allen what are you talking about"_

_"I meant to ask you before... but I didn't. Are you sure about building something that might give you...ah bad memories"_

_"Hmm..." she resisted the urge to touch the small quarts hanging around her neck"Yes I'm sure. It's not giving me bad flashbacks actually. It helps me keep busy." No I'm not sure. She thought inwardly. I want to finish Kevin's work... but I don't know the reason why. And the wall came up"Allen how bout helping Matt with the calculations of Temperal Lobe, he says it's lagging and he can't figure out why."_

_"...Ok Chief. If you ever need someone to talk to though..."_

_"I'm fine Allen, really. Thanks for the concern though."_

_The afternoon was busy as usual, but other than a few malfunctions nothing unusual. Light slanted in beautiful orange beams from the windows. The days toll was beginning to sneal up on everyone. Not only that their stomachs didn't wait either._

_Miyuki stood up"Hey Chief do you want to call if a day? Me and you can go have dinner and then head home."_

_"That's alright Miyuki I still have work to do."_

_"Ah come on Chief you work the hardest out of all of us you deserve to have a small break once in awhile." Togashi sounded like he was almost complaining"Besides everything is green today. We should have even better results tomorrow." suddenly the entire staff was egging Shion to take a break, in a cover up to get off early themselves for once._

_"Oh all right" Shion exclaimed"I give! Just shut everything down and be sure security is up."_

_Miyuki grabbed Shion by the wrist and started dragging her towards the door"Come on I know a really good place to eat" she said eagerly. One by one the staff left after their job was finished over a peridod of an hour, soon only a handful were left. This included Togashi, Allen, and Miyuki who had suddenly returned having finished her meal with Shion who had admitted she was very tired and went to bed early._

Shion tilted her head. The remaining group didn't shut down anything. They just hung out as if waiting for something. Why were they being shown this?

_"I hope whoever Wilhelm's sending knows what he's doing. This project is very touchy for the cheif." Allen said._

_Togashi waved his hand"The Testamints know what they're doing, whatever Wilhelm tells them, they do with beyond 100 efficiency. Heck their knowledge probably almost rivals the CEO himself._

_"But why use Kos-mos for whatever he's planning"_

_Miyuki smiled"It's to fulfill a deal. Don't ask it's confidential." she added quickly at the others questioning look. All of a sudden a figure wearing a crimson red full body clothing just like Virgil had been wearing only the DMA Addict's had been very dark blue._

_"Have you prepared Kos-mos as I requested" his voice was distorted like he was speaking through a malfunctioning communicator._

_"Yes." Allen's tone was tense like he was talking to someone he didn't like. His eyes gave him away as knowing, or atleast recognizing the red figure._

_The remaining crew went to their stations._

_"Bindings secure, opening PIC's."_

_"Allen insert the the biotech crystals when the full GAE is installed."_

_"What! Inserting those right when the equipment isn't even tested in simulation is dangerous! We could cause Kos-mos to malfunction and we couldn't even hide the Gnosis Absorbtion Equipemt"_

_The Red Testimant turned his beaked mask to the engineer"I am very aware of the risk. I can take care of that. Just do as I say."_

_Reluctantly Allen abliged. His fingers ran over the keyboard telling the computers his command. Inside the pod machines began their work on the unfinished android inside. The Red Testimant monitered everyone's work._

_He suddenly approached Allen once more and handed him what looked like a steryle computer chip box"Once your finished install these two chips, one inside beside Kos-mos' physical Encephalon, then the other inside the maintanence pod's Mother Board."_

_"Hey this wasn't apart of what the message said. What are you trying to pull Kevin"_

Shion's eyes went wide. Kevin! No it couldn't be! He was dead! Wasn't he?

_"Just do as I say. Wilhelm needs these installed early it's not my problem if it's not always as planned." Again the co-worker couldn't give a strong argument. It was near midnight when the Red Testimant declared his job here was done for the moment on the modifications on Kos-mos' body and hidden programs._

_"Hey wait, before you fade out. Why not let Shion know who you really are? You're giving her enough pent up grief and pain as it is."_

_The testimate turned"I am supposed to be dead in her eyes. I am supposed to be dead to all, I'm not even supposed to be here. But the Phoenix race wishes to live on and protect their home, in return they are helping the humans."_

_"I'll take that as a no with a coy reason." Allen snipped"I may be the only nonhuman here that isn't on anyone's side, but I sure am on the chief's side. And seeing her muse over pain that she's not willing to share to ease it makes me feel worse."_

Nonhuman?

_"Yes it is painful to you, as is me - ."_

_"Not as much you since you havn't let her know. You just care about Kos-mos' well being in the future after her duties are done. Understandable. But you might as well say this robot means more to you than Shion does." Allen glared. This brought a small stalemate silence between them._

At this point the faltering images faded completely before the scene had ended.

No echo eminated from the figure's feet as she walked along the halls of the gnosis homeworld. Her face was covered by half a mask that seemed to be clinging to her skin without any help of a string. A black staff was held loosely in one hand. Her presence was taken unnoticed by anyone or anything. She was like a ghost yet not like one. Her pale drab colored hair was pulled up into high pigtails, her garb was strange even compared to most.

Mintia.

She glanced around loathingly at her surroundings, every fiber of her being wanting to tear the place apart. The seemingly little girl stepped into the chamber holding the ones that were the wave to change the human's fate. Mintia halted in front of MOMO. The little realian's color was drained heavily as was all theirs.

"You still owe me a rematch." she murmered. Mintia touched the tip of her staff to the flesh, causing it to shred away as if scared of her touch. MOMO gasped and fell with a hrd thud against the floor. She coughed a strange greenish liquid out then merely lay there to rest. Her body felt drained and invaded at the same time. More disgusting sounds came to her slightly muted hearing, telling her the others were falling out of their caccoons as well. One particularly mechanical thud was Kos-mos. MOMO felt herself jerked up by the collar of her small dress"Get up. If a realian like you can stand me when I'm near death then you can take on a gnosis hive queen"

"W-what" MOMO's eyes were finaly cleared by her nano repair functions and she could see clearly.

Mintia let her drop back to the floor, turning to everyone else who were still thrashin about trying to get the gnosis blood off of them or out of their system. Her shadowed eyes flared a moment as their bodies sparkled and were found clean of any impurities.

"Get up." she said again this time through gritted teeth"All of your times are running out."

"Mintia? But how - argh how can we face things that aren't weakened like we are right now" Shion snapped.

"Simple. Most of you are not human or half human. You need to set aside those weaknesses and face those three and kill Yavyn." Mintia's eyes were flaring with power that they hadn't seen when she last challenged MOMO during the gnosis invasion on the Kukai Foundation"What is it you pathetic beings keep preaching about? Togetherness and friends always overcome. Does that not count for now"

They knew next to diddly squat, actually not even that about the strange girl. Why and how was she here?

"Mintia..." MOMO stumbled to her feet, rejecting the help that Jr offered"Why are you helping us"

"Reasons you might find out soon should you fight very soon."

Jr's expression changed to sadness at the little realian's rejection. _She must be angry at me for Sakura... and thinking that I only like her because of her sister..._ Jr stepped back from MOMO to give her some space, turning his full attention to Mintia... the issue between him and MOMO would be worked out later hopefully.

Shion stumbled to her feet, nearly falling and grabbing onto Ziggy's arm for support. _How long had they been asleep? _"She's right we need to get moving. However long we've been out it's costing chaos and his sisters. Not to mention everyone in the Durandel"

"No time to lose then! Everyone prepare yourselves for the showdown of the age" Jr declared. This didn't take long. They merely had to drop anything that didn't go boom. Jr was surprised that the Gnosis Queen hadn't picked up that they weren't inside the planet's flesh anymore. But perhaps it was because Mintia was blocking her... even though the strange girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Kos-mos? What's your status" Shion asked the android who seemed to be back to her _'normal'_ self. Something just didn't look right.

"Self-diagnostics tell me that some of my equipment has been disabled due to the unknown effects of the gnosis flesh. It appears the it has leaked through my armor and done ideal damage. My current output in battle is reduced to 78." she responded automatically.

"Oh my that's a big drop. This flesh must've been deluding your metal materials... " Shion looked at the shredded gnosis material. If it was as acidic as she was guessing, the only type that was able to actually affect Kos-mos' type... she came to the conclusion"We've been assimilated for more than three weeks" Her outburst made everyone turn.

"Three weeks" MOMO repeated"..."

"Sorry. Come on, we should worry about things like that later. We have to save chaos."

The dead bloom that held Yavyn Mistra as she slept was closed, its 'pedals' deathly still. Only once every few hours pulsing as the great being inside shifted. Off to one side lounged the triplets, bathing in their auras of power. Soon he would be awakened and then everything would be complete for the gnosis Final Massacre.

chaos sat up on his side"You hear something"

His sisters looked up"You mean other than footsteps" shi commented.

inochi laid her head on chaos' shoulder, silver hair spilling down like a water fall"Too heavy for the gnosis, it must be the prisinors. Huh, I wonder how they escaped." there was no trace of worry in her voice.

"How indeed." he stood up.

_Tat tat tat tat..._

A small round object was tossed to the floor, bouncing right to the tip of chaos' boot.

_BANG!_

The flash bomb flared with blinding light but it wasn't that that actually affected the triplets. Next came a blast of energy that caused the three to scream and leap away. Shots fired out as Jr and Kos-mos revealed themselves briefly then vanished back into the outer chambers. inochi wiped blood from the scrach on her cheek that a bullet had created. She growled showing white needle teeth, pursuing the attackers with deadly speed. chaos watched as shi joined their little sister in the hunt. He glanced up into the semi clear walls of Dead's Tear. Something just wasn't right. Niether with his enemies nor the air. Something powerful was here and it wasn't them.

It didn't take long for the dimented phoenixes to find their prey. Kos-mos and Jr went back to back, keeping them in sight at all times. It was a stalemate until the two girls were finished with playing. shi lashed out with her tentacles, only to have them knocked back by Jr's powers.

Ziggy suddenly appeared, leaping down from a high shelf, his armblade slicing one of inochi's arms cleanly off. Blood spattered everywhere, she screamed in agony even though the bone, flesh and even clothing were regenerating already. Angered greatly at their youngest being struck chaos and shi brought out their spears. The cyborg barely dodged them, feeling his clothing tear at the blade's touch.

"Expect everything from everywhere." chaos scolded harshly at inochi before bounding effortlessly after Jr who was running the oposite direction. The triplets beastly bird like screeches filled the core's air chilling everyone's blood. chaos could feel it, something was affecting their thinking. Their performance was degrading and that's why they couldn't get these pests as easily as they should be. Suddenly the core shook violently, a high yet smooth screech called them back to the interior.

"Lightning Blast" Shion leaped, slamming her blade into the sheild surrounding the flesh bloom. It bounced her back forcefully, next before hitting the ground she was hit by several concentrated blasts of energy. Her weapon was cracked open leaving the ammo and computers inside exposed. It sparked causing her to quickly dispose of it.

"Cheif" Allen turned but was knocked down by the sheer shockwave of inochi passing him at a great speed, along with the Elsa's crew.

Burnt cloth lay charred where she was hit, Shion sat up slowly trying to orient herself"Ugh..." her eyes focused on chaos who was striding towards her without hesitation. The look in his glazed eyes tellng her that he was ready to kill her even if... _wait that's it!_

"chaos! You would kill one of the only things Nyima left behind for you? Why"

This did not make him slow his pace.

"chaos" she repeated while dragging herself away"What was your promise to your best friend? Do you think she would want this" this reached down deep within the folds of deceit. chaos halted one moment, one foot suspended in the air.

"Remeber who you are! Reject this filth that has taken your heart and soul, chaos" Shion pushed herself to her feet.

A distorted laugh interrupted the moment"It's too late they are all far gone halfling." the pedals parted almost like curtains, beads of shining liquid falling as the pedals snapped out in full bloom.

"Let them go! Take what you need from them and just leave us be" Shion demanded. MOMO watched everything from where she hid, the others were gathering as they were chatting. The little realian highly doubted their presence would go unknown. These beings weren't completely nulled. And Yavyn... she was blind. The gnosis had eyes everywhere however, the entire hive was her eyes. In the palm of MOMO's delicate hands were the silver orbs Nephilim had given to her. _Help them remember... for their sake MOMO..._

Yavyn grinned evilly"I cannot do that my dear nestling. The energy of the Original must remain intact till I am sure I am able to awaken him."

A shadow leaped out from nowhere as Akita sent grenade after grenade at the three elite worriors. The ground shook violently at the blasts as they met their targets. The smoke gave the crew and Shion time to get further away from the Queen. It was obviously not safe there much more than they'd expected.

The research realian turned to them. Dark violet pedals bristling with frost bloomed around them"Winter's Bloom" Shion felt a relieving cool air wash over her, strength recovering. Screeches sounded.

Akita turned with Kos-mos at her side"Thorns" the realian shot a blast of ether vines out over the floor catching the huminoids in painful binds. Kos-mos pointed her gun right at chaos. Selecting him out of all the madness with her pinpointing vision she saw blood fly. Aim was off, only half his face was missing. chaos slumped, his body numbing itself so the pain wasn't so great. Regeneration began. MOMO flinched. Albedo appeared, his familiar cackle had returned as he joined the battle, his knowledge of some use in his powers. The maniac got into ground fight involving teeth, claws and powers with shi.

Both rolled over and over till they were forcefully seperated, shi managed to swing her heel down in time to pierce his neck with her heel spike. But he regenerated quickly and was on her again. shi snarled and sent him flying back into a boulder cracking it all the way in the process.

_Give them back their memories... for their sake... These are transformations to you.._. The words just kept echoing in her head. Ziggy joined the fray as gnosis unrecorded in known documents were summoned by Yavyn to defend her. The core shook, nothing was still, pandemonium reigned as the two sides faught for the truth and for the humans, and for themselves. Not all was right even though most of them had faced their pasts... the little realian's eyes, no longer bright with the cheerfulness they'd once had, strayed to Jr. The URTV had a red aura winding around him, he the eye of the storm. She felt a sudden streak of anger but quickly surpressed it. Now was not the time for that...

Jr knew these numbers were against them, the new gnosis were pouring in at an alarming rate. Most of their feild attacks just weren't enough! Unless his summon worked, the distance might affect it...

"Come on and do it Great Joe" Ether charged around the small lad as he summoned the half gnosis stowaway they'd found and barely defeated on the Durandel. The freak landed amidst the gnosis, strangely enough, they scattered frantically away at his presence.

Instead of going straight into his attack, Great Joe looked around even though his eyes were covered with bandages"It's been so long..." he sounded strange, as if he was serious for once.

Abruptly Mintia appeared next to him"chaos your seconds are numbered" the hate in her eyes practically burned to life.

chaos actually took a step back"And what might you want so personally with me"

Mintia pointed her staff at him"You left me! Left me to be experimented on just like Erudo! We just happened to be the only ones to survive Yavyn's new poison! Look what we've become"

The triplets looked up in surprise. Erudo had been a dear friend yet distant, he'd been a huge phoenix even in huminoid form. But he'd been killed when they'd first entered this universe... hadn't he?

chaos kept his gaze steady as possible"What are you talking about? Who is this Yavyn Mistra"

The hive queen merely hissed slightly"Results of experiments. These two will never be controlled. They are much too powerful. As for who they are..."

Mintia grabbed Kos-mos' blue hair jerking the android off balance"Recognize anything"

Puzzled, chaos looked from one female to the other, then it hit him. The eyes. Both were crimson red, familiar yet... alien for both of them.

He broke down. All three of them but chaos especially. It couldn't be! Keteya was alive! Turned into... this... this monster standing before them!

"No... no...that's not true...that's impossible! Keteya's dead" chaos backed away as fast as he could, unable to break his gaze from the haunting eyes. Mintia released her copy to pursue him, first slow steps, then faster and faster"YOU LEFT ME" she leaped. chaos fell back, rolling to the side in time to avoid her staff but not the shockwave that came or most of the continued attacks after that. inochi and shi took on Erudo with much difficulty, he was even faster than them, they could sense that he nor Mintia were at full power. But to be at their level at near death? What had they become!

Ziggy covered MOMO as a great shockwave nearly tore apart the entire core. A grotesque scream peirced the air, the gnosis queen writed in agony as her lines were almost severed. Shion tried to look toward the foul creature but the wind and energies were just too much.

chaos slammed into the sheild sliding to the ground exhausted and bleeding. He still wasn't accepting who he'd been, the gnosis side had taken him. Even after this new development. Mintia faded into sight out of the smoke practically gliding over the ground, a battlecry escaping her throat. chaos coughed, blood pouring down the front of his chin soaking his clothing. The end of her staff with the ball had been forced all the way through his body.

inochi felt Erudo pick her up by the neck after both of them had been knocked to the ground. She looked down as the tubes on either side of his hips snapped up jabbing them in the gut"Soul Crusher" at point blank range the blasts nearly obliterated their bodies. MOMO shook herself forcefully and wrenched herself from Ziggy's arms"MOMO! MOMO come back" he called frantically.

_...for their sake..._

"Star Life, power up" the first sphere splattered, spreading farther than its small size should've done. The chrome blue liquid engulfed the realian then hardened, shattering into reflective mirrors. Her normal realian uniform had been replaced by blue thigh high boots, shorts, arm coverings up to her shoulders, a sleeveless shirt, breastplate and shoulder pads all lined in silver. She was suspended about a foot off the ground, a perfect circle of glowing materials cirlcing around her in ten feet in diameter.

MOMO pulled back as if pulling the string of a bow; the pupils of her eyes replaced by an inner glow"Shattering soul" the first arrow hit inochi just as the phoenix was halfway through regenerating. She threw her head back howling in agony as blue surrounded her like a whirlwind, not of body or mind, but of spirit and memory.

MOMO spun out of that transformation"Death's Haunt, power up" she continued to remain in the air, the cloth and simple armor replaced with a flowing liquidy silk black robe that fit snuggly around her small form. She took another archer's pose"Grave's Peace" shi blinked once before it hit her, sending her flying back.

"Chaotic Angel, power up" MOMO's body didn't seem real, shards of light, darkness, silver, gold, blue, purple, everything and nothing. The only thing that seemed real was her eyes. The arrow glowed bright and ready, the one known as Erudo forcefully removed Mintia from her position that blocked MOMO. chaos weakly opened his eyes.The core shook when the arrow released. chaos screamed, wanting to accept who he'd been and yet not able to. He felt himself lifted off the ground by the force of the 'arrow'. Suddenly everything became bliss as flashes of his smiling sisters, Keteya, Nyima, everyone. As they danced under the moon, sun and stars. As they faught. His new friends and new life.

Blazing with what seemed holy light, the Serenity Triplets turned to face Yavyn. She snarled at them, gathering power to strike back, minions crowding to protect their queen. The lights grew feircer and feircer to the point where it burned your eyes even if you were turned away. Shion found herself running away in vain. But it felt like time was slowing her down, making her body feel like it was traveling through water instead of air. The light was just too much to bear...

Outside the gnosis were going haywire. They panicked as they tried to escape the beams of light that was literally tearing through their home. The planet fell apart piece by carefully constructed piece. The veins blocking the black hole shredded themselves to nothing. Dead's Tear imploded, compacting to a barren and hardened core. Silence, if you could call it that, reigned over the battlefield.

Suddenly the surface cracked, heated, then seemed to peel away in the form of a giant hawklike bird. It stretched out then hardened completely before crumbling to rubble.

MOMO looked up from the bridge of the Durandle at the desolete place. In the distance not more than 700 meters was chaos, inochi, and shi floating in a trangle to one another. Their eyes downcast... both sorrow and exhaustion. There was no sign of gnosis poison on their skin or in their eyes. Not too far away stood Kos-mos.

Silent but with exploding lights, portals opened from all around as phonixes recieved the call the way home was open. Wilhelm walked passed the many unconcious workers laying on the floor of the bridge, his hands behind his back in his business man's pose, not far behind him was Miyuki. She smiled at Shion and Allen but didn't say anything, it was as if breaking this silence would break their friendship. Wilhelm, followed by three cloaked men, one Virgil, the other Kevin, and another whom's identity was yet to be revealed. The CEO stared into the depth's of Shion's eyes for a long long time before walking through the ship's glass with Miyuki and leaping up. As the huminoids came closer to the black hole their forms flared then changed shape to their true selves.

chaos turned to Kos-mos, his sisters clinging to each of his arms. The android reached out, not knowing why, but just to touch his face. chaos kept his look nuetral but before she could touch him the triplets joined their kin on their trek home. Light once again began to engulf them as they were sending them home.

Kos-mos felt... rejected.

**Aha! Yes ladies and gents this is my final chapter in this story. Why so many new developments and no explanation? Well you'll just have to wait and find out aye-runs away from mobs- Review please and tell me all!**


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